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The Olympic surfing venue of Teahupo’o has been the source of controversy since its announcement. Originally, discourse around the event centered on whether Olympic surfers would be prepared to face the notoriously dangerous wave. However, the latest target of criticism from both the surfing community and locals has been the construction of a new judging tower.
Previous WSL events at Teahupo’o had used a wooden structure that was dismantled after every event. However, Olympic officials deemed that structure unsuitable, due to both the increased amount of staff inside the tower for the games, as well as the technical needs for the live television broadcast. As a result, officials began preparing to construct a three-story aluminum structure that would include additional capacity, enhanced security, air conditioning, electricity, water and toilets. However, as soon as construction began, locals began to protest the development.
Now the president of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson, has weighed in on the issue. When asked by L’Equipe what he thought of the demonstrations, Brotherson said, as translated, “I had a reaction of solidarity. I have no resentment towards the organizers of this march and this petition. I understand their concerns, I myself am very attached to safeguarding our environmental and cultural heritage. But what I want is for us to remain at a level of rational discourse.”
An online petition with over 100,000 signatures has demanded that construction of the new tower be scrapped in favor of using a wooden tower the WSL has used in its broadcasts from the venue. However, Brotherson stated that it will not be possible to use the old tower in its current state. “In terms of safety, it is not compliant, and this has been the case since a 2008 study,” he said. “Therefore, from an insurance and liability point of view, it is not possible to use the current tower as it is.” According to Brotherson, a task force is currently investigating the possibility of updating the tower to meet both safety standards and the technical requirements of the Olympic games.
Brotherson’s sympathy to the cause of the protestors is also explained by the fact that he was not the one who originally planned the logistics of the surfing event. The current president was elected in May of 2023 and the Olympic logistics were negotiated by the previous president, Édouard Fritch. “I inherited this Olympics file. Everything had been negotiated, signed and tied up before I arrived at the presidency,” said Brotherson. “What I can say is that if I had been in government when this file was being put together, the process would have been completely different. Because one of the major criticisms made today is the total lack of communication and inclusion of the population by the former management team.”
In fact, Brotherson stated that, had it been his decision, Teahupo’o may not have been the Olympic surfing venue at all. “When we came to power, we said that there was a much more suitable site for the Olympics, the Taharuu Beach spot in Papara,” he told L’Equipe. “It is perhaps less spectacular and less mythical than Teahupo’o. But it’s a beachbreak and it has existing infrastructure, there was no need to build anything. In terms of organization, it was much easier. And the wave seemed more suitable to us, it is more reasonable even in bad weather unlike the ‘monster’ Teahupo’o, and it is more constant.”
Though Brotherson clarified that it is not an option to change the venue, he has expressed an openness to meeting the demands of protestors. He said that, if the old tower can be brought up to code, he is open to using it and accepting the loss of money already invested in the new structure. “As I am naturally optimistic, I want to believe that, as long as people are able to discuss, we can find solutions,” he concluded.
