World Surf League drops paternalistic bomb on Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo, Italo Ferreira after Brazilian stars dare question judging in wake of Surf Ranch Pro!

"The wrong kind of passion."

But who on earth expected the Surf Ranch Pro, there in the cow stink, miles from the nearest ocean, to be the most explosive event of the 2023 World Championship Tour thus far? Drama-filled to the industrial farmed eyeballs? Earthquake still reverberating through America’s Memorial Day and into the early portion of the week?

I mean, aside from surf guru Sam George, of course.

But here we are and it is true. Wild controversy, death threats, absolute chaos heading down to El Salvador, a place known for jailing lesbian women, with no end in sight.

The main issue is, of course, the judging. American and Australian surfers pushed through even though the Brazilian surfers appeared to be more progressive, generally better.

For their part, former champions, Brazilian all, Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo and Italo Ferreira took their complaints directly to the people.

Medina declared, “The surfing community, especially in Brazil, is mesmerized with the poor clarity and inconsistence of judging for many years now, but lately it has been even more shocking. It is quite clear that judging is now rewarding very simple surfing, seamless transitions and have taken critical turns in critical sections off the criteria. This is very frustrating and is stagnating the sport.”

Toledo added, “After a long day, of many thoughts, analyses, news and arguments, I realized that I am tired, psychologically exhausted. It’s not easy to spend 10 years swallowing hard. I’m a surfer, original and rooted, who grew up among real surfers, and fairness has always been one of the main points in my experience. That’s why I feel tired. For the love of sport, I’m still firm and strong. And now, I feel happy seeing the posts by Gabriel Medina, Ítalo Ferreira, and many others, who can still adhere to the idea that what we seek will always be the evolution of the sport, with justice and transparency. We want nothing but fair. Nothing beyond what is our right. We need our voice to be heard and respected, because, after all, we are the protagonists of it all!”

Ferreira closed with, “My intuition is not to attack, hurt, take into credit and judgment, but silence consumes me. The surf that gave me and gives me everything I live by this if I need to prove it yet. My looks and my energy and what they carry says it all. On my part, surf, I give you my all. My devotion My day to day that only me, my team and my family know. And so we shall continue. In the moment of sadness, indignation, reverse and look forward, transform, inspire people.”

In a just-published must-read, tour analyst JP Currie wondered, “Is it surprising that some styles are favoured? Not at all. Why would it be surprising that a pudgy, fifty-something, white male WSL judge would err in favour of classic surfing rather than the brand of athleticism and progression brought to the table by the Brazilians?

Before concluding, “Brazil owns the fucking WSL, and I’m here for it.”

Though how is the World Surf League, based in Santa Monica and helmed by lily-white Chief Executive Erik Logan and Chief of Sport Jessi Miley-Dyer, taking that “ownership” from a former colony?

Not well.

In a paternalistic bomb, an unnamed WSL spokesperson told Reuters, “Surfing is an ever-evolving, subjective sport and we appreciate a robust debate around the progression of our sport and the criteria used to judge competitions. However it is unacceptable for any athlete to question the integrity of our judges who… are elite professionals.”

Yikes.

The World Surf League regularly praises its Brazilian surfers and fans for “passion.” It is, in fact, the only descriptor used to describe them. Passion, passionate, passionately. Criticizing the judging must be the wrong sort of passion, I suppose.

Not grateful enough for all the opportunities and advancement gifted by benevolent masters etc.