USA Surfing built the athlete pipeline for Team USA’s Olympic success —addressing everything from youth development to elite performance and earning Olympic medals in surfing’s debut.

As surfing flourished, U.S. Ski & Snowboard — an organization with no ties to surfing — submitted an unexpected bid to become the NGB for Olympic surfing. Their application came not out of surf expertise, but the desire to expand commercial control into the summer Olympics.

The USOPC adjusted certification standards and audit procedures during the process, repeatedly applying new requirements to USA Surfing while giving U.S. Ski & Snowboard favorable consideration. These changes were not publicly posted, undermining the transparency historically required for NGB selection.

USA Surfing was pressured to accept a “collaboration” that would have handed commercial control to U.S. Ski & Snowboard, effectively sidelining real surfers from having a say in athlete development, grassroots programs, and the future of American surfing.

Olympians, the International Surfing Association (ISA), key cities like San Clemente, and surfers across the country are united in their opposition of U.S. Ski & Snowboard as the NGB of surfing. Their reasoning was clear: the Ted Stevens Act and the Olympic Charter require leadership drawn from within the sport, not outsiders with no athlete base or expertise.

If U.S. Ski prevails, athlete representation, developmental programs, and the grassroots pipeline will be replaced by a narrow focus on media, commercial interests, and a handful of high value competitors. Surfing’s long-term credibility and Olympic legacy are in danger of being lost.

The surf community, along with local leaders and international federations, remain dedicated to defending governance built by surfers for surfers. Their movement is grounded in upholding sports law, the Olympic Charter, and the values of Team USA, demanding transparency and athlete-driven leadership at LA28 and beyond.

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