Lilli Baker, wife of surfer Tyler Wright, slams WSL over Abu Dhabi stop

Abu Dhabi stop for 2025 World Surf League championship is anti-LGBTQIA

The decision by the WSL to include Abu Dhabi as a stop for the 2025 championship has sparked criticism, particularly from Lilli Baker, wife of Australian professional surfer Tyler Wright (two-time world champion), the only openly queer athlete in the World Surf League.

Lilli Baker posted on her Instagram profile: “Tyler could legally face death or jail if she tries to compete“.

The couple, who will be married in 2022, have always supported the fight for civil rights for LGBTQIA people, including in 2020 when Tyler wore the Pride flag on his competition shirt.

The World Surf League has defended the choice of Abu Dhabi despite much criticism. A situation that – even more – highlights the challenges openly LGBTQIA athletes face in international situations where homosexuality is condemned by openly homophobic and transphobic laws.