Standup Paddle Heads to Arbitration

(ATR) The final say over which federation has the right to organize standup paddle events, will be decided by an arbitration panel in CAS.

Both the International Surfing Association and International Canoe Federation have claimed governance of standup paddle. The dispute between the federations began in 2016. Attempts to solve the issue through first dialogue and then mediation through the Court of Arbitration for Sport have both failed.

The ISA said that after these attempts it has formally opened up the arbitration process within CAS.

"Since we were regrettably unsuccessful in our efforts to find a solution through CAS Mediation, the ISA has now submitted the necessary documents to CAS to begin the Arbitration procedure," Fernando Aguerre, ISA President, said in a statement.

"Ultimately, the athletes are the most important aspect of any sport, and we will continue to do all we can to serve their best interests. We believe that ending the current dispute through CAS is a sensible way forward and we hope to proceed swiftly to a resolution, for the good of the StandUp Paddle community."

Both federations are keen to solve the dispute given that an expanded surfing program could appear on the Paris 2024 Olympic program. Standup paddle is aiming to be included in such a program.

The ISA says it has administered the sport since 2008 and believes that entitles the federation to continue organizing competition. Later this year the ICF will organize a standup paddle world championships in Portugal.

A spokesperson for the ICF said in a statementthat the federation "welcomes the opportunity to finally resolve the dispute" with the ISA. The spokesperson added the ICF "always strived to work in the best interests of the SUP community" when organizing competitions and developing grassroots efforts.

"The ICF has deliberately chosen not to engage in a public debate on this issue. Instead we have continued to work to build the sport, culminating in the first ever ICF SUP World Championships in Portugal later this year," the spokesperson said. "We are happy to allow the Court of Arbitration for Sport to rule on the question of whether the ISA is legally entitled to exclusive control over the sport of SUP. The ICF has always been in favor of using CAS to resolve this dispute under the Court's usual legal processes."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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