CT Told To Elect Single Surfers Rep From Shortlist Of Four Tasked With Reviewing All Future WSL Policy Changes Onboard ‘Special Committee’

Aight. 

So the WSL sent an email to CT surfers this morning notifying them of the umpteenth policy change this season. From here on in a ‘Special Committee’ consisting of one CT surfer and the WSL’s Competition Director will have the authority to approve or reject any of the WSL’s proposed changes to: the number and location of CT events, the number of CT surfers, key competition matters, including ranking and scoring systems, format, qualifying protocol, judging systems, equipment specifications, safety and welfare provision for surfers during CT events. 

There are four options CT surfers can choose to elect this season: Tyler Wright, Jadson Andre, Tatiana Weston-Webb or Griffin Colapinto. 

To our understanding, the WSL offered no rationale as to why these were the four shortlisted names, one of whom will be tasked with representing the interests of all CT surfers (men and women) by i.) helping CT surfers reach a consensus on proposed changes, ii.) acting as an advocate for any approved changes in the media, iii.) attending monthly meetings with the WSL’s leadership etc. 

A win to lose this one?

The governing principles of the SC are as follows:

• Create a sustainable business model to grow the sport
• Operate in accordance with ethical principles
• Maintain the integrity of surfing and the CT
• Enhance and grow the CT and CT athletes
• Safeguard the interests of individual athletes

COMES for short.

“In the event that the SC cannot reach an agreement on a WSL proposed change, the Athlete Agreement sets forth a dispute resolution process. If there is still a deadlock following the dispute resolution process, and the matter has ‘Material Financial Implications’ that result in i.) financial or material harm of the CT or WSL ii.) reputational harm to the CT or WSL, the Competition Director will have a ‘special casting vote’” aka a trump card that nullifies surfer’s concerns.

Presumably many proposed changes could ‘reasonably be expected to have material financial implications’ so like… power consolidation? The other part of the SC role requires the surfers rep to sign an NDA, meaning they cannot disclose any confidential information to others without the WSL’s approval. 

More questions than answers.