A technical director, contest director, and 11 judges - two head judges, seven judges, and two priority judges - were chosen.

They represent seven countries across four continents.

Erik Krammer of the United States was announced as technical director, while Marcos Carneiro Esmanhoto was selected as contest director.

American Richard Pierce and Australia's Glen Elliot are set to be the two head judges. 

The panel was approved by the ISA Executive Committee, with the nominations decided on in collaboration with the World Surf League (WSL).

Three of the seven judges on the panel are currently working on the WSL Championship Tour.

The panel also includes Tory Gilkerson of the US, a reflection of the ISA’s commitment to promote and develop more women judges in surfing. 

Gilkerson has been evaluated as one of the highest-performing judges at ISA World Championships in recent years, which was the foremost factor in her selection. 

Further initiatives are in development with the International Olympic Committee and national federations to build on Gilkerson's success.

"We are very pleased to announce an outstanding panel of Olympic surfing judges who represent the highest levels of expertise and international experience in our sport," said ISA President Fernando Aguerre.

"With the naming of the technical officials as one of the ISA’s many responsibilities as the Olympic International Federation, we take great pride in the quality and reliability of our judging process. 

"This is another piece of the puzzle that will ensure a historic debut for surfing in the Games.

"The integrity, fairness, and professionalism of the judging process for surfing’s debut at Tokyo 2020 is a great priority for the ISA. 

"We have invested considerable time and effort, also in coordination with the WSL, to ensure that our judges meet the standards of excellence the Olympic Games require and deserve."

The announcement was made as the ISA celebrated one year to go until surfing makes it Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, postponed until to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

National federations and leading athletes took to social media to express their excitement for the Games.

"A surfer knows that when you paddle hard and miss the first wave of a set, that is not the time to give up," Aguerre said. 

"That’s the time to turn around and paddle even harder to get in position for the next wave in that set. 

"Surfing’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 may have been delayed a year, but the global surfing community is ready to catch that next set wave. 

"One year from today, Olympic surfing will be underway and the best surfers from all continents will step up on the world’s greatest sporting stage and display surfing’s unique, youthful values and energy."