Alan Cleland suspended following sexual abuse allegations

Mexican Olympic surfer Alan Cleland has been provisionally suspended from the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour following allegations of sexual, physical, and verbal abuse. The accusations were made public by his former partner, Noah Klapp, a German surfer and former ISA Under-16 world champion.

Klapp alleged that the abuse occurred approximately six years ago when she was 17 years old. She described instances of being physically restrained and subjected to violence during their relationship. The incidents reportedly took place in French Polynesia following the seventh stop of the Championship Tour in Teahupo’o in August.

The WSL Disciplinary Committee announced the suspension after identifying Cleland, who was the first Mexican representative in surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The WSL stated it acted immediately upon learning of the allegations and is cooperating with the relevant authorities. While Australian media reported that the investigation falls under the jurisdiction of French Polynesian police, a formal investigation has not yet been publicly confirmed. Cleland has not yet issued a public response to the allegations.