Alan Cleland Jr. suspended by WSL over sexual assault allegations

The World Surf League (WSL) has provisionally suspended Mexican professional surfer Alan Cleland Jr. following allegations of sexual assault involving a teenage girl from Australia. The incident reportedly occurred during a private gathering in Tahiti in August, following the conclusion of the Tahiti Pro. While the WSL stated the gathering was not affiliated with the organization, it took disciplinary action citing its code of conduct regarding athlete behavior and the integrity of the sport.

Reports indicate that the alleged incident involved at least three men. New South Wales Police have been informed of the allegations and are in contact with surfing authorities, though it remains unclear if French Polynesian police have launched a formal criminal investigation. Cleland, a 24-year-old Olympic competitor, has been removed from the WSL Championship Tour rankings and his major sponsor, Quicksilver, has removed him from its website.

Adding to the controversy, professional surfer Noah Klapp, Cleland’s former partner, publicly shared on social media that she was a victim of physical and sexual abuse during their relationship when she was 17 years old. The WSL has emphasized a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for sexual harassment and abuse within the professional surfing community.