Our Commitment
At the International Surfing Association (ISA), we believe that surfing is a sport for everyone. Guided by our purpose to make a better world through surfing, the ISA is committed to advancing gender equality, diversity, and inclusion across all levels of the sport from athletes and officials to coaches, leadership, and governance.
This commitment is embedded within the ISA Sustainability Agenda 2030 and aligned with international frameworks such as the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through inclusive governance, fair access to opportunities, and transparent decision-making, the ISA strives to ensure that all individuals can participate, progress, and lead within the global surfing community.
Gender Equality in Practice
The ISA actively works to promote balanced representation and equal opportunity across its activities. Gender equality considerations are integrated into governance structures, education programmes, event operations, and development pathways, with a focus on long-term, sustainable impact.
In addition, we fully support the IOC’s Gender Equality Toolkit.
Key Initiatives
Women’s Judging & Officiating Programme
The ISA Women’s Judging & Officiating Programme is a flagship initiative designed to strengthen the pipeline of qualified female surfing officials.
The programme provides:
- Access to the ISA Judging & Officiating educational curriculum
- Technical training and mentoring delivered by experienced ISA judges and technical officials
- Practical, on-site experience at ISA World Championship events
- Long-term development pathways toward officiating at elite and Olympic-level competitions.
Through a combination of online education and in-person mentorship, the programme has supported women from across all continents and significantly expanded the global pool of qualified female judges.
Women’s Coaching and Leadership Program – Americas
The ISA Women’s Coaching & Leadership Program is a targeted development initiative aimed at increasing the number of qualified women surf coaches and strengthening leadership pathways for women within ISA Member Federations. The program focuses on building technical coaching competence, leadership skills, and long-term career pathways for women in coaching roles at national, international, and elite levels.
The program provides participants with:
- Access to ISA-recognized coaching education and leadership development;
- Technical coaching instruction aligned with long-term athlete development principles;
- Training in key leadership and soft-skill areas, including communication, goal-setting, and athlete wellbeing;
- Practical, hands-on coaching experience delivered in an event and community setting;
- Opportunities for mentorship and networking with experienced coaches and educators;
- A structured pathway toward increased representation of women coaching at ISA World Championships, Olympic Games, and within National Federation programs.
Through a combination of education, mentorship, and practical delivery, the program. supports sustainable growth in women’s coaching participation and contributes to a more balanced and inclusive coaching landscape across the global surfing community.
Achievements & Outcomes
The ISA’s gender equality initiatives have delivered tangible outcomes, including: – Growth in the number of qualified female judges officiating at ISA World Championships; – Fully subsidised education and training opportunities to remove financial barriers; – Increased visibility and representation of women in technical and officiating roles; – Creation of sustainable pathways for women to progress toward senior and Olympic-level positions.
Governance & Leadership
Gender equality and inclusion are embedded within ISA governance through:
- Transparent election and appointment processes
- Encouragement of balanced representation across committees and commissions
- Integration of equality principles within the ISA Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics, and Safeguarding framework
The ISA is currently under the revision and approval of a Gender Equality & Diversity Commission nomination. Once appointed, the commission will be responsible to support all GEDI work by advising the Executive Committee, proposing initiatives, and monitoring progress in line with good governance principles.
Inclusion Beyond Gender
While gender equality is a core focus, the ISA’s approach to diversity and inclusion extends further, encompassing:
- Para Surfing and adaptive sport development
- Geographic and cultural diversity across Member Nations
- Youth engagement and leadership development
- Safe, respectful, and harassment-free environments for all participants.
These priorities are reflected across ISA policies, education programmes, and event delivery standards.
Development Programs:
- ISA Americas Youth Athlete Development Program El Salvador / 2022
- ISA Development Program São Tomé / 2022
- ISA African Youth Development Program Senegal / 2023/li>
- ISA Asian Youth Development Program Maldives / 2024
- ISA Development Program Moçambique / 2025
- ISA Oceania Youth Development Program Fiji / 2025
Further Educational Sources:
IOC Gender Equality Toolkit: A Toolkit for a Sports Ecosystem with a Gender Perspective, which provides practical guidance, frameworks, and tools to support sports organizations in embedding gender equality across governance, leadership, operations, and culture.