“Gabriel Medina is more popular than the League itself. That pisses them off.”
In a move that has shaken the sport of surfing to its already rickety foundations, alienating the important “brown-skinned” base, the World Surf League has denied Gabriel Medina’s request for a wildcard at the upcoming Teahupoo Pro.
Three-time world champ Gabriel Medina, who is thirty-one and whose surfing is a sort of live-action cartoon, has won the event twice, 2014 and 2018, finished second four times and scooped up the bronze at last year’s Olympics there.
Brazil media is reporting that Medina wanted to compete at Teahupoo but was told the two wildcards were already allocated to Tahitian gold medallist Kauai Vaast and the winner of the trials event.
Gabriel Medina would be eligible for an injury wildcard, a last-minute deal, which Medina subsequently refused.
Brazilian surfs were unimpressed by the snub, pointing out that if it was John John Florence or Kelly Slater doin’ the asking, chairs would be shuffled to get ‘em in.
“Medina is more popular than the League itself. That pisses them off. LOL.”
“The guy is a three-time champion and has no prestige in the League. That’s unreal. It borders on disrespect.”
“REGRETTABLE WSL!!!! IF IT WERE KELLY SLATER ASKING, THEY WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING TO MAKE IT WORK!!!”
Gabriel Medina has long had a troubled relationship with his administrative masters. His criticism of the tour’s judging has been relentless with bombshell after bombshell, calls for revolutions etc.
You’ll remember three years ago he threw the tour into disarray when he withdrew from the Pipe Masters citing mental issues – not unlike his lil buddy Filipe Toledo a couple of years later, and, in January, when he was forced to pull out of this year’s tour after a titty injury.
You miss ol Gabriel Medina? Or you doin’ ok without the prince whose brown eyes are so quick to moisten?