Surfers win key battle to control their own fate heading into LA28 Olympic Games

A beef over which organization should manage the U.S. Olympic surfing team ended when one of the groups, U.S. Ski and Snowboard, withdrew its bid ahead of a scheduled Tuesday hearing.

The backstory

Two organizations — Utah-based U.S. Ski and Snowboard and San Clemente-based USA Surfing — were vying for control over the Olympic surfing team heading into the LA28 Games. The snow group had hoped to turn itself into an action sports juggernaut by adding several off-the-slopes sports — surfing and skateboarding — to its roster to maximize the potential for sponsorships and advertising. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee was set to hear their arguments on Tuesday and then make a decision.

What’s really behind the squabble?

Money, pretty much. The Olympic Committee doles out funding to the organizations that oversee Olympic sports for expenses including athlete training, travel expenses and competition fees. And there's private advertising and sponsorships on top of that.

Also prestige — USA Surfing and its numerous supporters in Southern California were livid over what they saw as an effort by the Utah-based group to encroach on their territory at a time when the world’s biggest sporting spotlight will be turned on San Clemente for the Olympic surfing event at Lower Trestles.

Why did US Ski and Snowboard withdraw?

In a statement on the organization’s website, U.S. Ski and Snowboard blamed USA Surfing for not wanting to collaborate for the benefit of surfers: “U.S. Ski & Snowboard has concluded that our energy and expertise are best used in service to our athletes as they prepare for the upcoming Winter Games."

What’s next for USA Surfing?

USA Surfing still has to convince the U.S. Olympic Committee that it can properly manage the surf team. The organization relinquished control over the team for the 2024 Paris Games because of a negative audit that found sloppy oversight of funds and failure to disclose conflicts of interest. The committee will hear USA Surfing’s bid at a hearing on Tuesday.

What’s next for U.S. Ski and Snowboard?

The group still hopes to manage Olympic skateboarding for the LA28 Games. The Olympic committee will hear its pitch, which unlike surfing, is unopposed, at a separate hearing on Thursday.

How to watch the hearings — and get involved

Surfing

1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 18

You can watch via Zoom at this link.

Skateboarding

9 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 20

You can watch via Zoom at this link.

You can also provide written comments for either hearing to Mark Storey, senior director of compliance operations, at Mark.Storey@usopc.org

Go deeper

Here's how you can volunteer at the Olympics
The LA Olympics schedule is out. Here's a breakdown
The Olympics are a multi-billion dollar business. Here's what that means for LA taxpayers