Surf icon slams Filipe Toledo for “shameful, unforgivable sportsmanship” after collision with official photographer

"Filipe runs this guy down and doesn't even check on the bloke. That photographer could have been bleeding to death."

(Editor’s note: As y’might’ve read, seen or heard, Filipe Toledo collided with the WSL’s official photographer Thiago Diz on his penultimate wave in his round of 16 heat against Kanoa Igarashi. Pip had been having a shocker and the collision, on the meaningless end section, took out a fin. Thiago looked freaked out by the hit and Filipe lit up at everyone, Thiago, the man, injustice etc. It wasn’t a real good look. Thiago, as the WSL’s main shooter, has been responsible for capturing Pip’s biggest moments. Earlier today, Matt George, whom you know well, wrote and starred in In God’s Hands, wrote the best-ever profile of Kelly Slater, even with its notes of a platonic boy-man love “The Seduction of Kelly Slater” emailed this to kick off debate below the line.)

After reviewing the WSL coverage of Filipe Toledo running down a photographer in his last heat, I was reminded of the first thing Julian Wilson did when Mick was attacked by a shark at J-Bay.

He immediately paddled to Mick’s aid. This is the surfer’s code. In any body of water.

Filipe Toledo runs this guy down and seemingly doesn’t even check on the bloke. That photographer could have been bleeding to death.

If that was an Aussie surfer that ran that photographer down, the first thing he would have done was to check if that photographer was ok and then assist if he wasn’t.

This display of lack of empathy was shameful, unforgivable sportsmanship.

 

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As a certified Emergency Medical Technician, I am absolutely shocked.

EMT or lifeguard or just a bloke out for a surf at your local, you take care of your brother in the water first. And then argue later if need be.

It seems to me that there were far more important matters immediately afoot than slapping one’s surfboard and hopping on a jet ski to go bitch to the judges about the unfairness in one’s self-centered world.

(There was a reconciliation between Filipe Toledo and Thiago Diz in the back rooms afterward, see below, but Pip’s dad Ricky was still screaming injustice on the post, “I just don’t understand WSL not recognizing what happened and, at least, deciding to offer it another wave, as it has happened countless times on the tour. Although we know that maybe that won’t change the outcome. And nobody here is taking credit of the opponent, who played his role. But I thought this was missing…”)

 

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