Professional surfer Alan Cleland Jr. has been provisionally suspended by the World Surf League over what it described as “deeply serious” allegations involving an Australian teenager.
The 24-year-old Mexican Olympian, who sits 24th in the Men’s Championship Tour rankings, has been barred from all WSL events while the governing body conducts an urgent disciplinary review.
The allegations relate to a private gathering held in August after the conclusion of the Outerknown Tahiti Pro at Teahupo’o, the seventh event of the WSL Championship Tour.
Surfing journalist Nick Carroll reported that the alleged incident involved an Australian teenage surfer from Sydney and at least three men.
The WSL confirmed the suspension in a statement, emphasizing that although the gathering was not an official tour function, competitors remain subject to the league’s strict conduct requirements.
In a statement provided to Our News Outlet, the league said: “The World Surf League (WSL) 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.
Professional surfer Alan Cleland Jr. has been suspended by the World Surf League over “deeply serious” allegations involving an Australian teenager
The 24-year-old Mexican Olympian, ranked 24th on the Men’s Championship Tour, has been excluded from all WSL events during an urgent disciplinary review
“The allegations concern conduct linked to a private gathering in Tahiti in August. 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,” the statement continued. “After being informed of the allegations, the WSL Discipline Committee acted promptly and issued the competitor with a provisional suspension from all WSL events.”
Although the league did not identify Cleland by name, he has disappeared from the competition rankings and from sponsor Quicksilver’s website.
New South Wales Police have reportedly been notified of the allegations and have contacted surfing authorities.
Tahitian media reported earlier this week that the Papeete prosecutor’s office had not opened a formal investigation locally at that point.
Cleland has not been charged in connection with the Tahiti allegations, and the WSL’s provisional suspension is not a legal determination that he committed wrongdoing.
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The controversy intensified after Cleland’s former girlfriend, German professional surfer Noah Klapp, publicly alleged that she experienced domestic abuse and sexual assault during their relationship.
In a lengthy social media post published on October 12, Klapp described what she characterized as traumatic incidents during her time dating Cleland.
Cleland has not been charged with a crime over the allegations connected to the Tahiti gathering
The controversy escalated after German professional surfer Noah Klapp accused Cleland of domestic abuse
Klapp posted a lengthy message to her followers outlining the allegations
“Alan Cleland Jr. abused me throughout most of our relationship,” Klapp alleged.
‘He often pinned me down on the bed, grabbing my wrists with all his strength, he sexually assaulted me many times, he would call me a s***, an attention seeking w****, he would block the door to our room and wouldn’t allow me to leave if he wasn’t done with me.’
‘I had ran away from him many times, one vivid memory is him yanking the collar of my sweater to where I could hear it break against my neck and I fell to the ground, where he dragged me back inside to where I could not ask for help.’
Klapp added: ‘I regret ever meeting him because the damage he caused me is something I’ve been healing within myself for a long time and the things I’ve endured haunt me in my sleep.’
Klapp followed up with a second statement calling out the sport’s systemic issues, slamming ‘a culture that has allowed harmful behavior to continue for years because people stay silent, look the other way, or protect the reputations of those involved.’
‘Young girls grow up in this community having their surf idols, old enough to be their dads, sending inappropriate DMs to them or their friends, experiencing unwanted touching, or hearing rumors about what happens at North Shore parties without anyone asking questions,’ Klapp wrote.
‘Girls shouldn’t have to learn how to survive a culture that the adults around them should be changing.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to Cleland’s last known representatives for comment.
