"There was a formal complaint to the Olympic Committee, but they did nothing. And now, this guy is back again."
The Australian surf judge Ben Lowe, a man with eighteen years in the game, has been sent home from Teahupoo after he posed for a photo with Aussie Olympian Ethan Ewing and his coach Bede Durbidge.
All three men come from the same Queensland island, North Stradbroke, the second largest sand island in the world, if you didn’t know, great waves, plenty of sharks, and home to a little over two thousand souls.
A smallish joint where everyone knows each other, Ben Lowe a popular figure on the island.
“These 3 Straddie boys doing their stuff at the Olympics” reads the caption.
Innocent enough, yeah?
This drove the big-wave surfer Pedro Scooby, a serial complainer who believes an anti-Brazil element inhabits high-level surf judging despite Brazilians winning every men’s world title since 2018, nuts.
“During the Tokyo games, there was a judge who assigned the highest scores to Medina’s opponents in the same heat, while giving him the lowest marks,” wrote Scooby. A formal complaint was lodged against this judge to the Olympic Committee, but nothing was done. This guy is back again. Just today, while relaxing at home, I received a WhatsApp photo of him hugging Ethan, who is the one that, if Medina advances, could face him in the semifinals.
Brazilian eyes have been on Ben Lowe since Tokyo when it was claimed he held an anti-Brazil bias.
“Benjamin Lowe is definitely not a big fan of Medina’s surfing,” claimed Surf Hard Core earlier this year. “In the last Olympics, the Australian judge was responsible for the Brazilian’s worst scores: ‘We showed that in the last Olympic Games he always judged Medina in the low cut (below average) and for the others he scored in the high cut,’ reveals Marcelo Boscoli, who researched the judgment of all the heats held in Tokyo or the Australian judge acted. ‘He broke Medina (in the competition),’ he comments.”
The International Surfing Association quickly removed Ben Lowe from the judging panel to “protect the integrity and fairness of the ongoing competition.”
“The ISA is aware of a photo circulating on social media in which one of the Olympic surfing judges from Australia is seen socially interacting with an Australian athlete and the team manager,” the ISA said in a statement. “It is inappropriate for a judge to be interacting in this manner with an athlete and their team.”
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I’m still lost. I can’t see anything even remotely worth banning attached to him
Huh?
Mmmmm interesting use of the ban button there. Mod power gone to your head.
that’s from the Duck Song, but it’s grapes, not “duck food”
That was a joke, a simple intentionally dumb oxymoron. Extremely inane.
I’m not so sure about elevating my comments to a level of “inane”. But if I was awarded that deliciously bland distinction, I wouldn’t complain.
Guy, you don’t know anything about Pedro and Brazilians. If the judge was impartial and biased in favor of the Australian surfer, he definitely needs to be removed. This was very unethical.
The solution is in your control.
A Brazil based contest for only Brazilian surfers.
Brazilian world champion every year.
Brazil.
The rest of the world would then actually be grateful.
He wasn’t impartial and biased, his scores are there for all to see.
You don’t need to be from Brazil to know one thing about brazzos— they have the same sense of humor as shark with a crippling cocaine problem.
Bro, your imagination has really gone far now hahaha
See you can judge surfing.
underrated comment
I thought it was pretty funny that both Aussie judges gave Medina’s viral kick out wave a 9.8 instead of the 10 that Medina demanded with his claim. Great wave, and a 9.8 was reasonable and fair enough. The kick out was clearly a 10 though. Maybe Pedro Scooby should petition the Olympics to hold a “Majestic Kick Out” competition, or maybe a synchronized kick out competition Pedro could get in on too.
Anyone commenting on his teeth obviously missed the fact that he’s half British.
Lowe IQ on display
at least his dick wasn’t out in the photo, that would be really inappropriate
Bottom line is the WSL and ISA should be using pretty basic data science to regularly review and rank their judges’ performances over time. And which can then also be used as part of an investigation into any specific bias complaints.
Actually wait, that’s not the bottom line. The bottom line is that any sport that requires a judging panel is just a pretty stupid idea to start with.
And Lowe rejoins the WSL panel like nothing happened?
Sadly, the only thing the wsl uses basic data science for is things nobody cares about, like Shaper rankings. If they did actually try to use it to operate with accountability, like periodically reviewing judges, they’d have to deal with the negative press when they inevitably find one whose out of pocket, like what happened here. And the decision makers at the wsl will just crawl further up their own ass before something like that to happen.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c… So…I get removing him from competition for a conflict of interest. But Jesus Christ they should also strip his dentist of his license to practice! How the fuck do you wake up every morning and look in the mirror with those chompers looking back at you? Poor bastard! Or maybe the WSL doesn’t offer dental insurance for $6 a month like every other employer on the planet?
Did you delete the original post, or the fun police?
Me. Various websites have actual in-depth reporting so extracting myself. Doesn’t feel appropriate to just take snippets and post. Anyone interested in the story will find actual insight elsewhere, not just me regurgitating tidbits.
Don’t m8nd him being reprimanded because it’s not a good look and would look even worse had Ethan gone on to win.
It’s not clear (is it?) which rule he broke, or even when the photo was taken.
The short sleeve floral shirt suggests off duty. The Olympics would have that lot in a uniform, surely.
Even the Brazzos wouldn’t stoop that Lowe!
Ok, this has to stop.
think of the children!
Many puns to be had, but I won’t as it would only be Lowe hanging fruit. Sorry, Lowe blow. I’ll see myself out.
PS, LA Olympic surfing should be at Lowe-rs. Sorry, I’ll stop now, the bar is Lowe enough.
Thanks for putting up with me gang.
I’m a bit of a Lowe-ner. Damnit. Just stop.
A Lowe-n Ranger if you will. Oh just fuck off!!
Just see yourself out, don’t trip over 😁
I’d pay….ooooooo.1 BTC to see Gil do stand up
I accept Rupiah, Drachma or Dong. I’ll take all the Dong you can throw my way.
I’ll be back
whichever way the wind blowes.
Needs more E-lo
God! How’d I miss the ghost of e-Lowe? Keep that on the down Lowe
or Blow Lowe,, as they say in Japanese
Or as Confucius says, better to blow Lowe than be Joe blowe…
Your on fire today Gil
too hot.
need to Blowe it out.
keep it clean gentlemen.
no hitting belowe the belt
Pedro scooby has to be a fake name, right?