A statement on behalf of ISA President, Fernando Aguerre
“The ISA fully supports the joint decision by the IOC Executive Board and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee to postpone the Olympic Games. There is no question for me that this is a wise decision, which puts the health and well-being of every single athlete, fan, member of staff and the general public as first priority.
“As surfers, we are used to being flexible, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Practicing our sport in the ocean, in a natural environment, we are used to changing conditions in life. Now is the time for all of us to paddle harder for this wave, and to look ahead with purpose and conviction. Together we will beat this virus, and we will celebrate that victory with the best Olympic Games ever, in 2021.
“We are committed to working with our partners in Tokyo and at the IOC to finding sensible and responsible solutions to any situation that might come. We remain convinced that with our collective efforts and determination, the Tokyo Olympic Games – and especially Olympic Surfing – will go on, in due time, to give the world great reasons to celebrate.”
Fernando Aguerre
President, International Surfing Association
About the International Surfing Association:
The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Para Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment. The ISA crowned its first Men’s and Women’s World Champions in 1964. It crowned the first Big Wave World Champion in 1965; World Junior Champion in 1980; World Kneeboard Champions in 1982; World Longboard Surfing and World Bodyboard Champions in 1988; World Tandem Surfing Champions in 2006; World Masters Champions in 2007; World StandUp Paddle (SUP, both surfing and racing) and Paddleboard Champions in 2012, and World Para Surfing Champions in 2015.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Federations of 108 countries on five continents. The ISA is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (ARG). The Executive Committee includes four Vice-Presidents Karín Sierralta (PER), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Casper Steinfath (DEN) and Barbara Kendall (NZL), Athletes’ Commission Chair Justine Dupont (FRA), Regular Members Atsushi Sakai (JPN) and Jean Luc Arassus (FRA) and ISA Executive Director Robert Fasulo as Ex-officio Member.
Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California (USA).
For more information, please visit www.isasurf.org
