Italy has pulled out of the 2017 America’s Cup, criticising decisions by organisers as unprecedented and illegitimate.

Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand voted today on Tuesday against reducing the size of the catamarans for the second time in less than a year.

However, both teams were overruled by a majority of teams, led by two-times defending champion Oracle Team USA. The other challengers were Artemis Racing, of Sweden, Ben Ainslie Racing, of Britain, and Team France.

The America’s Cup class rules could be changed only by unanimous consent, but Oracle Team USA last week led an amendment to change the class rule to a majority vote.

Luna Rossa, backed by the fashion house Prada, said before the vote “it will be obliged to withdraw” if the rules were disrespected, and it was backed by Team New Zealand.

Luna Rossa have been one of the strongest challengers since 2000, when they reached the America’s Cup Match before being swept in five races by Team New Zealand.

“Following a careful evaluation of the serious implications of this unprecedented initiative, Team Luna Rossa confirms that it will withdraw from the 35th America’s Cup,” a team statement said.

“Team Luna Rossa indeed considers illegitimate the procedure adopted and founded on an evident abuse of process by surreptitious use of procedures to modify the protocol in order to overturn the class rule, which instead requires the unanimity of the teams entered.

“This is an attempt to introduce boats that are substantially monotypes and in total contrast with the ultra-centennial tradition of the America’s Cup, not to mention a two-month extension period to introduce further modifications to the rules, decided by the majority.”

This puts in doubt the opening regatta of the America’s Cup World Series, scheduled to be held in Cagliari from June 4 to 7.