Judge sent home from Olympics over controversial ‘inappropriate’ photo
Joshua Nair
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
A judge has been sent home from the Olympics after posting a controversial photo online.
The Olympics surfing judge will no longer take charge at the games following his decision at the Paris games' surfing location, in Tahiti.
Surfing events will be held in Teahupo'o, Tahiti as the small island is part of French Polynesia, and features famous waves that can reach heights up to 22 feet (6.7 metres).
The village has hosted numerous other big surfing competitions, such as the Pro Tahiti world championships.
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Australian surfer Ethan Ewing is one of the representatives for his nation in the men's shortboard, and is seen in the photo with fellow pro Aussie surfer Bede Durbidge and then-judge Ben Lowe, which was posted on Instagram by the former.
The photo was captioned: "These three Straddie [Stradbroke Island] boys doing their stuff at the Olympics".
Upon finding out about its existence, the International Surfing Association (ISA) chose to act quickly.
To avoid any potential calls of bias as Lowe could have scored Ewing as he competes to win an Olympic medal, the organisation removed Lowe from the judging team.
An ISA statement detailed: "It is inappropriate for a judge to be interacting in this manner with an athlete and their team."
Lowe, an experienced World Surf League judge, had to be removed according to the ISA's code of conduct, as well as the International Olympic Committee's code of ethics, it was announced.
Australian men Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing will face each other in the last eight of the competition, meaning at least one Aussie surfer will be up for a medal.
Joining them in the quarter-final stage in the other event is Aussie women's surfer Tyler Wright, who booked her spot by canny surfing in her final heat.
The two-time Australian world champion was made to spend three days on the beach before returning to the waves today (2 August) to best Israel's Anat Lelior, 11.10 to 7.74.
She faces off against World Surf League winner, Caroline Marks, later today.
Wright was made to wait to compete as the Teahupo-o waters were severely affected by a storm in the past few days, with it finally calming earlier today for them to finish their heats.
The Aussie was in the second heat, meaning she had to wait almost an entire working week to compete again, though it was all worth it.