“These 3 Straddie boys doing their stuff at the Olympics.”
Australian judge Benjamin Lowe poses for a photo with Ethan Ewing and Australian team coach Bede Durbidge.
It’s a pretty big deal for there lads from a small Queensland island to make surfings elite, never mind the Olympics, so why not have photo?
But no. Those who know best decided not to celebrate, or regonsie the stoke in surf culture, but choose to look at the dark side..
Ben Lowe, a 44-year-old Australian surf judge, has been removed from the surfing Olympics after a photo of him standing on a dock with Australian Olympic surfer Ethan Ewing and coach Bede Durbidge surfaced on Instagram.
ISA Statement
Teahupo’o, French Polynesia – August 1, 2024
The ISA is aware of a photo circulating on social media in which one of the Olympic surfing judges from Australia is seen socially interacting with an Australian athlete and the team manager.
It is inappropriate for a judge to be interacting in this manner with an athlete and their team.
To protect the integrity and fairness of the ongoing competition, and in accordance with the ISA Code of Conduct and IOC Code of Ethics, the ISA Executive Committee has decided to remove the judge from the judging panel for the remainder of the competition.
This decision is not related to this judge’s performance here at the Olympic Games.
The ISA has communicated with all judges and teams to remind them of their responsibilities regarding appropriate behavior.’
A photo does not infer partiality or impropriety in judging. Lads got there on their own merit.
We stand with Straddie