Integrity
A federation worthy of the athletes it serves
Great sport is built on trust. GSF places safeguarding, ethics, inclusion and accountability at the center of everything we do, from the first youth clinic to future international competition.
Safeguarding and Athlete Welfare
Every athlete deserves a safe place to learn
The Global Skimboarding Federation is a youth-serving organization. Children and young athletes stand at the heart of our school programs, after-school beach clinics, sponsored memberships and the Mobile Skim Academy. Their safety and welfare come before every result, every event and every program goal.
We are committed to safe training environments on the sand and in the water, clear safety procedures for clinics and any organized transport, instruction delivered by trained instructors, and event operations that put athlete welfare first at every stage.
GSF is developing a formal written safeguarding and athlete welfare policy framework in the tradition of mature international federations. The commitments on this page are in force now and guide every GSF activity while that framework is completed.
In Force Now
Our safeguarding commitments
- Safe, supervised training environments at every GSF clinic, lesson and program
- Written safety procedures for beach clinics and any organized athlete transport
- Instruction delivered by trained instructors with youth development at the core
- Welfare-first event operations: hydration, sun protection, surf conditions and rest
- A clear, welcoming channel to report any concern, without retaliation
- Beach safety and ocean awareness education woven into every youth program
Code of Ethics
One standard of conduct,
from the board to the beach
The GSF Code of Ethics applies to everyone who acts in the Federation's name: officers, board members, instructors, judges and volunteers. It exists so that athletes, families, donors and partners can trust every decision GSF makes.
Independence of judging
Judges and officials act independently of athletes, sponsors and Federation leadership. Scores and results are decided on the field of play, on published criteria, and nowhere else.
Conflicts of interest
Officers, board members, judges and volunteers disclose any personal, family or financial interest in a decision before them, and step aside from decisions where their independence could reasonably be questioned.
Nonprofit duty
GSF is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation, not organized for the private gain of any person. No private inurement, ever: every dollar and every decision serves the sport and the public benefit, not any individual.
Reporting a Concern
If something is wrong, we want to know
Anyone, of any age, may raise a concern about safeguarding, welfare, ethics, judging or any conduct connected to GSF. You do not need proof, and you do not need to be certain. If something does not feel right, tell us.
How to Reach Us
Two direct channels
- Email contact@gsfmail.org with the subject line "Reporting a Concern"
- Call 949-310-2075 and say you are reporting a concern
If anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first, then notify GSF.
What happens when you report
- Every concern is taken seriously, whoever raises it and whoever it concerns
- Reports are handled confidentially, shared only with those who need to act on them
- No retaliation, ever, against anyone who raises a concern in good faith
- You will be treated with respect and kept informed where appropriate
Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Skimboarding is for everyone
A sport that belongs to the world must make room for the whole world. GSF is building a federation where every athlete can see a place for themselves, on the sand and in the leadership room.
Gender equality
Equal opportunity across competition and leadership: event formats, athlete development, judging pathways and governance roles are being built for men and women alike from the start, not retrofitted later.
Diversity of communities
Skimboarding lives in coastal towns and can reach far beyond them. From beach cities to inland schools, and across the 75-country vision, GSF works to bring the sport to communities that have never had access to it.
International PathwayAdaptive inclusion
The Adaptive Skimboarding Program builds controlled training environments, specialized instruction and a future adaptive competition pathway, so that disability is never the end of an athlete's story in this sport.
Adaptive SkimboardingAnti-Doping Education
Clean sport, taught early In Development
As GSF's competition structure matures, the Federation plans an education-first anti-doping program: teaching athletes, coaches and parents what clean sport means, why it matters, and how international anti-doping practice works, before formal testing frameworks ever become relevant.
GSF does not currently operate an anti-doping testing program, and we will not claim otherwise. What we can do today is prepare the culture: young athletes who grow up understanding clean sport carry that standard with them to every level they reach.
Competition Integrity
Fair fields of play In Development
Alongside the rules and judging standards now in development, GSF is designing its competition integrity framework: fair fields of play, independent judging panels, and transparent rankings that athletes and fans can verify.
- Published rules and judging criteria before sanctioned competition begins
- Independent judging panels, free of athlete and sponsor influence
- Transparent rankings with published methodology
Environmental Sustainability
The beach is the arena. Protect it.
Skimboarding depends entirely on healthy beaches and living coastlines. Environmental stewardship is not an add-on to GSF's mission; it is written into it.
- Beach protection and responsible beach use at every GSF activity
- Coastal and ocean awareness education in youth programs
- Responsible event practices: leave the sand better than we found it
- Community service connecting athletes to their home beaches
Privacy and Data Protection
Your information, handled with care
Integrity extends to data. GSF collects only what it needs to run memberships and programs, takes extra care with youth information, and never sells personal information.
Build It With Us
Trust is a team sport.
Whether you are an athlete, a parent, an instructor or a supporter, you are part of keeping this sport safe, fair and open. Join the Federation, raise your voice, and help set the standard.