Surfing 'disgrace' loses world title in brutal dose of karma

Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina has been dealt a brutal dose of karma at the Pipe Masters in Hawaii, going down to countryman Italo Ferreira in the final after triggering a sportsmanship controversy in the earlier rounds.

Medina attracted widespread criticism after dropping in on fellow Brazilian Caio Ibelli’s wave in a bid to ensure his opponent wouldn’t have a chance to better his score on the final run of the round.

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Ferreira and Medina went head to head for the world title in a winner-takes-all final at Pipeline after Kolohe Andino was eliminated by France's Michel Bourez in the last 16.

Defeat for Medina stops him from becoming the first surfer to go back-to-back at Pipeline since the late Andy Irons in 2006.

"It was my dream," Ferreira said.

"I've trained all my life for this. I can't believe it. Thank you God."

Ferreira and Medina will represent Brazil at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after finishing first and second respectively in the world rankings.

Surfing world explodes over 'disgusting' act

Medina was leading fellow Brazilian Ibelli in their head-to-head battle, but Ibelli had priority on one final wave to try and progress.

However Medina deliberately dropped in on Ibelli’s wave to ensure he couldn’t score enough points to beat him.

Medina was rightly penalised for the devious act, but he knew the penalty wouldn’t be enough to see him knocked out.

“I knew if I had an interference I was going to count my big wave,” Medina said afterwards.

“If it’s in the rules, you’ve got to play the game. I’m stoked to make it through. In my head, I knew what I was doing … as I said, it’s in the rules.”

TV commentators couldn’t believe what they’d seen.

“This is outrageous,” Ronnie Blakey said at the time.

Co-commentator Barton Lynch added. “I don’t know what to say, I’m absolutely baffled.”

“Did he mathematically know he could win it and take it out of the control of Caio by dropping in?

“This might be one of the cleverest tactical manoeuvres we’ve ever seen in the history of the sport.”

Fans and fellow surfers also flocked to social media in shock, with opinion divided about Medina’s act.

However the overriding feeling was one of anger, with some labelling Medina a ‘disgrace’ and ‘disgusting’.

WITH AAP