Wild times.

The World Surf League has fallen to an entirely low ebb of respectability. A governing body that champions equality yet greedily laps up autocratic anti-lesbian dollars. An authority that adores environmentalist yet parsimoniously digs carbon powered wave pools in petro kingdom deserts which also happen to be extremely anti-lesbian.

Craven to the max though, in certain corners, the actual running of professional surfing competitions, judging etc., is the most ludicrously bad part.

Anti-lesbian?

Difficult to say, exactly, but its stumbles, its mistakes, make controversies in other fringe sporting communities seem positively tame.

But let us turn our attention to professional blue marlin fishing and the just-wrapped Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in North Carolina’s Morehead City in which a boat named Sensation caught a 619-pound fish for the win, hundreds of pounds over the nearest competitor.

And yet, as if the captain was Brazilian, was disqualified.

Organizers released a statement reading:

After careful deliberation and discussions between the Big Rock Rules Committee and Board of Directors with biologists from both NC State CMAST (Center for Marine Sciences and Technology) and NC Marine Fisheries biologists as well as an IGFA (International Game Fish Association) official, it was determined that SENSATIONS 619.4lb Blue Marlin is disqualified due to mutilation caused by a shark or other marine animal. It was deemed that the fish was mutilated before it was landed or boated and there for it was disqualified. The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament follows IGFA rules regarding mutilated fish as outlined in Rule #23 in the Big Rock Official Rules. IGFA rules state that the following situation will disqualify a fish: ‘Mutilation to the fish, prior to landing or boating the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh.

The boat Sushi was declared the winner, like Griffin Colapinto, with its 484.5 pound bit of mercury-laden flesh, and won $2.77 million.

Wait.

$2.77 million?

Has Gisele Bündchen ever dated a fisherperson?

More as the story develops.

"No one person or group of people are above the integrity of the sport."

The World Surf League’s chief executive Erik Logan is back. Exactly twenty-two days ago, the Oklahoman was caught up in the ire of surf fans everywhere, but especially Brazil, after three former champions, each coincidentally from Brazil, declared that judging, on the Championship Tour, had become a confused mess.

Logan decided the the best course of action would be to deliver a scathing paternalistic open letter that began, “I want to address the conversation that happened in our community following the recent Championship Tour event at the Surf Ranch. As you likely know, a small number of athletes made statements questioning the judging of the competition and the final results,” before continuing, “I want to respond directly to those statements, however, we first need to address a much more important issue. In recent days, a number of surfers, WSL judges, and employees have been subject to harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence, including death threats, as a direct result of those statements. Those things should never happen in our sport or any sport, and we’re devastated that members of our community have been subject to them. It is an important reminder to us all that words have consequences. We hope the entire WSL community stands with us in rejecting all forms of harassment and intimidation.”

It went on to say, “In terms of the statements made, we completely reject the suggestion that the judging of our competitions is in any way unfair or biased. These claims are not supported by any evidence. Firstly, the judging criteria are provided to the athletes ahead of each competition. All athletes competing at the Surf Ranch Pro received these materials on May 20th. Every athlete had the opportunity to ask questions about the criteria at that time. None of the athletes who made these statements took advantage of this opportunity at the Surf Ranch Pro. Secondly, our rules allow any athlete to review the scoring of any wave, with the judges, and receive a more detailed explanation of how they were scored with the judges. This process has been in place for a number of years, and is the direct result of working with the surfers to bring more transparency to the judging process. It is not acceptable, and is a breach of league policy, for surfers to choose not to engage with the proper process and instead air grievances on social media. A number of athletes at the Surf Ranch Pro received points for elements such as progression and variety, so it is simply incorrect to suggest these are not taken into account in the judging criteria. Furthermore, our rules have been applied consistently throughout the season, including at events this season that were won by athletes who are now questioning those same rules.Surfing is an ever-evolving, subjective sport and we welcome a robust debate around the progression of our sport and the criteria used to judge our competitions. However, it is unacceptable for any athlete to question the integrity of our judges who, like our surfers, are elite professionals,” and concluded with, “No one person or group of people are above the integrity of the sport.”

It was not well received, surf fans flooded the former Oprah Winfrey studio boss’s usually blaring Instagram page with many harsh words and Logan fled from view.

He stayed hidden in the lead up to the next event, the Surf City El Salvador Pro. He stayed hidden surfing the event. He stayed hidden after the event as new charges of ridiculous judging were lobbed.

But he is back now.

In an ill-considered “story,” Logan can be seen bogging rail, possibly on a SUP, in celebration of International Surfing Day. A move akin to wearing a White Lives Matter t-shirt at a Black Lives Matter protest. “Hope you got out to celebrate the only way we know how,” he added.

World Shame League.