After presiding over 20 successful years of elite competition and global development as President of the International Surfing Association [ISA], Fernando Aguerre will stand for re-election at the ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games on 25 October in Punta Rocas, Peru.
Today, Aguerre outlined his vision for the sport and his desire to see Surfing become a fixture on the Olympic Programme, highlighting the ground-breaking wave technology as the ‘game changer’ and a catalyst for the natural progression of the sport.
An Argentinian born entrepreneur and founder of the Reef action sports brand, Aguerre is a pioneer of the Surfing industry and strives to bring the best of business and management to international sports governance.
Looking ahead to the Presidential election, Aguerre said today:
"I believe Surfing is at a very exciting stage of its development as a sport.
"Not everyone is lucky enough to live near an ocean, so the new generation of wave technology can create a level playing field and bring surfing to a whole new audience around the world. Wave pools will eradicate the limitations of fading daylight, inconsistent waves and geography. With this innovation, Surfing will further enhance its universality.
"These new wave pools could provide a stunning venue at an Olympic Games and they will also help stimulate local economies, generate jobs and provide young people with a source of fun and engagement long after the Games have left town. The venues would remain a thriving hub for young people creating an ongoing legacy at the heart of the community. Wave pools make great sense from a sporting perspective but they also make great business sense."
Aguerre added:
"I have a deep-seated belief that Surfing represents a force for good at a time when the world seems to be experiencing so much conflict. In addition to its youthful demographic and unique lifestyle, Surfing offers inclusivity, freedom of expression and harmony with the environment. Together these assets can supplement and enhance the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and fair play.
"Of the 35 million surfers in the world, it is estimated 14 million are aged 12 -24, underlining the sports incredible youth appeal.
"With our young fans, our global events calendar and our star Surfing competitors, we connect with young people in a special way. Surfing is cool and can deliver something very few sports can - the ability to reach out to new Olympic audiences.
"My passion for Surfing is what underpins my desire to grow the sport and seek Olympic inclusion. If I am re-elected as President this will be one of the driving forces of my next four years in office."
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only
Recent Articles
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
