By Maria Alejandra Peña

The president of the Venezuelan Surfing Federation (FVS), Thaina Luna, was reported to the National Commission of Athletes for “administrative irregularities” related to the request and use of money from sponsors, reported to DUKE the complainant Pedro di Palma, organizer of the Festival Xtremo Choroní 2018 that took place on August 25 and 26, 2018.

The letter states that the FVS negotiated advertising space for the tournament behind Di Palma's back, without benefiting either him or the tournament.

Di Palma told DUKE that he approached the FVS seeking support for the design and advertising of his event, then, two days before the championship, the federation informed him that, without his approval, they had closed a negotiation with Mr. Marlon Monsalve of Empresas Polar on behalf of the company 7Up, that this company would be the official sponsor of the event and that they would be in charge of hydration.

Upon receiving the information, Di Palma immediately expressed his disagreement. Because the deal was made without informing him or giving him any details of the negotiation, even though he has been the person who has been organizing the event for several years.

Faced with the situation, Di Palma decided to tell the FVS that 7Up could better contribute with monetary help for lodging and event logistics, rather than hydration, because he could cover this. The response emphasized that no money could be obtained from 7Up since they did not give money.

In the end, with the event just around the corner, the promoter agreed because he said he believed the FVS wanted to help and that hydration would not hurt the championship.

After the event, Di Palma accepted a sponsorship offer in which advertising space in the championship was sold for between $450 and $900 (see below).

“The event, as expected, was completely lined with 7Up branding, with a giant inflatable arch and lots of banners along the beach. Hydration was brought in very little and was not offered on the beach by any 7Up staff, it was kept in a cooler behind the federation’s awning and was gone in no time,” the event promoter told DUKE.

The organizer concluded by saying that such a situation “only shows a complete lack of management and interest in sport and its popularization, which should be its main goal. I hope that this complaint serves to rectify the serious errors committed and that they are not repeated in future events.”

For her part, President Luna, when contacted by DUKE, decided not to address the issue and refer it to the federation's lawyers, specifically to Dr. Ingrid Castro, who said: "As a legal professional, I cannot address the issue until I receive a formal response from the Comptroller's Council, the body responsible for verifying and investigating the case to determine whether there was a failure or not."

FVS Document by DUKE He Scribd