Battle Ongoing for NGB Recognition of Surfing

Two organizations seeking to be the national governing body for the sport of surfing in the United States have each had their day in front of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Certification Review Group.

USA Surfing’s bid to be re-certified by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is being challenged by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, which has also filed a motion with the USOPC to be the sport’s national governing body.

USA Surfing had its public hearing last Thursday and U.S. Ski & Snowboard had its hearing on Tuesday. According to The Sports Examiner, the Ted Stevens Act requires the USOPC decide what to do by May 15.

“The process is ongoing,” USOPC Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland said on Thursday. “Many groups are stepping forward with interest in managing that sport program. We are underway in that process and there are steps yet to be taken at a high level.”

One of USA Surfing’s main arguments against U.S. Ski & Snowboard overseeing surfing the Ted Stevens Act, which prohibits an NGB from representing multiple international federations. USA Surfing said in its March statement “since (U.S. Ski & Snowboard) is already recognized by FIS (the International Ski Federation), it is legally ineligible to govern surfing.”

When asked about the Stevens Act clause, Hirshland said “it is not necessarily the norm but it is not unprecedented for organizations to manage multiple sports. It would be unique in the United States but it does happen around the world.”

USA Surfing was de-certified in 2021 after governance and financial issues were discovered during a USOPC audit. The USOPC has managed the USA surf team in the interim including the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris. USA Surfing has retained recognition from the International Surf Association.

“USA Surfing never wanted to be in an adversarial position with another Olympic sport,” the organization said in a statement after its hearing. “It serves neither of us — nor the Olympic and Paralympic movement — well. We acknowledge U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s athletes’ tradition of excellence and their organizational capacity. We ask only for the same respect in return — for the surfers, the coaches, the community and culture.”

USA Surfing’s application in part read “becoming an NGB would provide surfers with the highest level of support and expertise to elevate our sport’s power, athleticism and skill on the world’s largest sporting stage — the Olympic Games. We care about our athletes and we want to be in the best position to serve their needs. … The USOPC can have faith that we can and will carry out our obligations and handle our responsibilities fully.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s application says in part “Team USA will win more medals with surfing under USSS than it will under any other organization,” and it would hire a Sport Leader to focus on surfing; the application notes the sport leader would also work on potentially skateboarding. 

Sophie Goldschmidt, the current chief executive officer at U.S. Ski & Snowboard, was chief executive officer from 2017 through 2020 for the World Surf League.