British Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie is robbed at knifepoint in Barcelona: Thugs targeted his €20,000 Rolex

SIR Ben Ainslie, the most decorated sailor in Olympic history, has been robbed of his €20,000 Rolex at knifepoint by thieves in Barcelona.

The 47-year-old British yachtsman is currently in the city for the 37th staging of the America’s Cup, sailing’s premier competition.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist is CEO and skipper of the INEOS Britannia team, aiming to become the first British crew to claim victory in the competition’s 170-year history.

In a statement, Sir Ben confirmed the mugging, which occurred on Saturday night when he was threatened with a knife and forced to hand over his valuable timepiece.

He said: “Barcelona is a fantastic host city for the America’s Cup. The team has felt welcomed and is enjoying our stay in this vibrant city. Like in all big cities, you can be affected by opportunistic crime and my situation is no different. This is now a matter with the local authorities”.

According to local police data, crime in the Catalan capital increased by 8% over the past year, with almost half (48.1%) of the reported crimes being pickpocketing.

Many tourists are targeted in packed popular hotspots, including Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, and around La Sagrada Familia.

Ainslie’s crew begin their participation in the Louis Vuitton Cup today as five teams vie for the right to become the Challengers of Record and compete against reigning champions New Zealand for the America’s Cup in October.