Australian judge Ben Lowe has been stood down from the Olympics after being pictured with Aussie star Ethan Ewing.
The drama unfolded ahead of the quarter-finals where Ewing came up against countryman Jack Robinson while Aussie women’s star Tyler Wright also competed in the last eight.
But Lowe, an experienced World Surf League judge, was not there, having been dropped by officials.
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He had posed for a photo with Ewing and his coach Bede Durbidge, who posted the image on social media with the caption: “Three Straddie (North Stradbroke Island) boys doing their stuff at the Olympics.”
The International Surfing Association took swift action.
“It is inappropriate for a judge to be interacting in this manner with an athlete and their team,” an ISA statement read.
Lowe was stood down in accordance with the ISA’s code of conduct and the International Olympic Committee’s code of ethics, according to the ISA.
Australians were in the mix for medals in both men’s and women’s competition but only Robinson remains after he eliminated Ewing — emerging victorious 15.33 to 13.00 — and Wright went down to Caroline Marks.
Robinson will now get two chances to win a medal and follow in the footsteps of Owen Wright, Tyler’s brother, as an Olympic surfing medallist.
In sparkling conditions at Tahiti’s Teahupo’o, Ewing and Robinson put on a mighty show with the highest-scoring contest of the day.
Robinson set the early running in French Polynesia on Friday (AEST), piecing together a combination ride with several turns to score 7.33.
Ewing shot back at the half-way point with the heat’s best run, scoring 8.33 for a long run through a barrel.
The Western Australian responded with a barrel run of his own, carving through and punching the air after landing the all-important second scoring ride of 8.00 with eight minutes left.
Unfortunately for Ewing, the fickle Teahupo’o break didn’t offer him an opportunity to respond as the minutes ticked down, leaving him a few points short.
Robinson’s poise means he will face legend Gabriel Medina in a semi-final, with the winner to surf for gold, and the loser offered a shot at bronze.
– with AAP