The World Surf League (WSL) announced over the weekend that it had provisionally suspended a competitor from its Championship Tour following allegations it characterized as being of a “deeply serious nature.”
The organization did not publicly identify the surfer or disclose the full details of the allegations. However, Surfing World reported that Mexican surfer Alan Cleland Jr. was “understood” to be the competitor facing the suspension. HT.com has not independently verified the report, and the WSL has not publicly confirmed Cleland Jr.’s identity in connection with the matter.
Sitting 24th in the world rankings, Cleland Jr. fell just two spots short of qualifying for the postseason. His next scheduled appearance was expected to come at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii, the final stop of the 2026 Championship Tour.
WSL’s statement on suspension decision
In its official statement, the WSL stated, “The World Surf League confirms that a competitor on the 2026 Men’s Championship Tour has been suspended after the WSL was recently made aware of allegations of a deeply serious nature involving the competitor.”
The league further clarified that the allegations relate to conduct at a private gathering in Tahiti in August. It clarified that the gathering was not affiliated with the WSL.
“All WSL competitors are bound by the conduct standards outlined in the WSL Rule Book, at all times. After being informed of the allegations, the WSL Discipline Committee took prompt action and issued a provisional suspension to the competitor from all WSL events,” the statement continued.
The WSL said it is continuing to follow its established disciplinary process and has offered assistance to the relevant authorities. It concluded by noting that it could not provide further details at this stage.
Report links allegations to incident in Tahiti
The WSL has not publicly identified the competitor or disclosed further details about the allegations.
In its report, Surfing World linked the matter to an alleged incident following the final day of the Outerknown Tahiti Pro. According to the publication, the incident reportedly involved a teenage Australian female surfer and at least three men.
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The details of the alleged incident have not been independently verified by HT.com. The current status of any police investigation remains unclear.
“It is unclear whether police in French Polynesia are currently moving to press charges,” the Surfing World report noted.
Social media post makes separate allegations
On Monday, a post also surfaced on Instagram from an account using the username @noahklapp. The author claimed to have dated Cleland Jr. when she was 17 and said she had decided to share her experience following the recent allegations against him.
In the post, the author alleged that she experienced abuse throughout much of their relationship. These claims have not been independently verified by HT.com, and the post’s authenticity and the allegations’ credibility have not been independently established.
However, Tahitian longboarder Vaimiti Teiefitu re-shared it on her Instagram Story.
Teiefitu also shared a separate statement expressing concern about an incident reportedly involving a young girl in Teahupo’o.
“Recently, something extremely disturbing happened here in Teahupo’o, involving a young girl,” she wrote.
She added: “I’m still waiting to learn more about the situation, but what I’ve heard is deeply concerning, especially knowing that the three people reportedly involved are known in the community.”
The claims circulating on social media have not been independently confirmed, and further details about the incident remain unclear.
Suspension duration remains unclear
Cleland Jr. was absent from the Maresias and Ericeira Challenger events, having already fallen short of the Championship Tour cut and missed out on postseason qualification. His next anticipated competition was the Pipe Masters, scheduled for December.
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However, the WSL has yet to clarify the duration of his provisional suspension, leaving his status for the December event uncertain as the league continues to review the matter.
Cleland Jr absent from Quiksilver roster
Cleland Jr. has also reportedly disappeared from Quiksilver’s official surf-team roster, raising questions about his relationship with the major sponsor. The brand’s website no longer features the Mexican surfer, with reports indicating that the two have parted ways.
The WSL has not disclosed further details about the suspension, and the allegations remain unproven. Cleland Jr.’s identity as the suspended competitor has also not been officially confirmed by the league.