The International Surfing Association has taken extreme measures to ensure that CT athletes do not abandon the World Surfing Games, the organization reported in a statement signed by its president Fernando Aguerre, sent to the national federations and accessed by DUKE.

The measure is taken in view of the number of CT athletes who abandon the competition after surfing some heats. Surfers who are in the process of qualifying must participate in the aforementioned ISA World Championship.

Based on this, they will now have to present a medical certificate in order to be able to leave the competition; if they do not do so, they will no longer be eligible for the Olympic Games.

“The values ​​of sportsmanship and fair play are at the core of the ISA and as such, I immediately understood that this was a problem. These athletes effectively damaged the image of the ISA and the World Surfing Games, and impacted the progress and results of the series through their actions. I immediately took the initiative to discuss the situation with the WSL leaders who were on-site and following up, and they agreed that a stricter approach was warranted,” Aguerre writes.

He added: “Following consultation with our legal advisors, we have taken the necessary actions to adjust The Requirements, requiring CT athletes to undergo a medical evaluation should an athlete wish to withdraw prior to the end of the competition for any reason. In the absence of a legitimate medical justification, the surfer in question will lose his or her Olympic eligibility. The athlete legal waiver, which is signed by all athletes participating in our WSGs, has also been amended in accordance with The Requirements.”

He concludes: “Additionally, I want to draw your attention to the inclusion of the term “bona fide” in reference to the surfers’ participation in next year’s WSG. We will be monitoring the athletes’ performance at the WSG and reserve the right to apply the ISA Disciplinary Policy relating to unsportsmanlike conduct under Section 3.A.vi of the ISA Rules, which relates to intentionally missing or underperforming in a Series. We encourage Members and surfers to familiarize themselves with these rules.”

Basically, a surfer can become ineligible for the Games if a panel formed by the ISA deems that a surfer let himself get lost.

At the 2021 and 2023 ISA World Surfing Games held in El Salvador, several CT surfers who were to compete in the Surf City El Salvador Pro the following week withdrew from the competition; Filipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina, Carissa Moore and Caroline Marks were some of them.