faced with controversies, the International Surfing Federation proposes to do without the judges’ tower in Tahiti

The body explained in a press release dated Tuesday that it had proposed to the organizers of the Olympic Games to organize the surfing event without a judges’ tower.

After several months of protest and two weeks after the destruction of corals during tests, a new twist in the controversy linked to the judges’ tower for the surfing event of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The International Surfing Federation (ISA) announced having proposed on December 9 to the Polynesian government and the organizing committee of the Paris Olympic Games to abandon the construction of the building and to content themselves “live images from land, water and drones”.

“Faced with this change of position, Paris 2024 will contact the key players in the matter, the Polynesian government, the International Surfing Federation, the WSL and OBS (the broadcaster of the Olympic Games) to understand how the ISA envisages the organization events without having to resort to a judges’ tower, taking into account sporting, television broadcasting, budgetary and heritage issues”reacted Tuesday evening the organizing committee of the Paris Olympics.

A few hours after communicating on a “quasi-general consensus” around “the desire of the country and local stakeholders to maintain the Games in Teahupo’o”, the Cojo maintained this line. But he also insisted that the International Surfing Federation was “fully associated since 2021 with discussions on the need to build a new tower for the proper organization of broadcasting and refereeing operations for sports competitions”.

A “poorly prepared” test for the minister

The proposal to do without the judges’ tower was made when the Polynesian government announced that the event could be held at the Teahupo’o site on December 10. Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson had presented a work schedule which should result in a functional tower on May 13, a few days before the World Surf League (WSL) world tour stop.

Since the start of the construction project for this aluminum tower intended to replace a wooden tower which no longer meets standards, tensions have been significant between authorities, organizers and local populations. The controversy has gone beyond France, pushing for example surfing legend Kelly Slater to support opponents of the project.

At the beginning of December, during technical tests, a barge intended for the installation of the resized aluminum tower had broken coral, pushing the Polynesian government to pause the work. The test was “poorly prepared”, had castigated the Minister of Sports and the Olympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. The ISA then welcomed the suspension of work.