Lifesaving stars back their sport - Brisbane Times

AAP

As a hearing into allegations of drug taking and sexual assault during the surf lifesaving world championships begins in Sydney, stars have spoken out in defence of their sport.

Six members of Australia's under-20 surf lifesaving team, including young star Jordan Mercer, have been suspended in the wake of allegations linked to claims of misconduct by some competitors during the world championships in Adelaide last month.

A three-day Surf Life Saving Australia hearing into the allegations began on Friday to determine what, if any, sanctions the six will face from the SLSA.

World champion Shannon Eckstein, a member of Australia's team in Adelaide, does not believe there's a widespread cultural problem in the sport.

"I've always said it's been the best thing that's happened in my life, joining a surf club when I was in nippers," Eckstein told AAP on the Gold Coast.

"My daughter, she's eight months now, but when she's five she'll join a surf club because it's such a great Australian tradition.

"I wouldn't say I'm going to put my daughter into something I don't believe in.

"If anything has happened then I'd hope there's punishments on those who've done anything wrong, but the sport will move on."

Eckstein is a member of the Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club, which announced an extension to its long-term sponsorship deal with construction and engineering firm BMD on Friday.

BMD chief financial officer Craig Mortensen said the allegations from Adelaide had never created any hesitation within the company in supporting the Surfers Paradise-based club.

"Always proud to be associated with Northcliffe and the sport of surf lifesaving in general," Mortensen told AAP.

"It's a great community ... it's about saving lives and there's not many better services than that."

Another Northcliffe athlete, Courtney Hancock, said the sport had shown its resilience following the drowning deaths of teenager Matthew Barclay at the national titles early this year and Saxon Bird in 2010.

"I can definitely say as a sport we're a huge family so everyone's very close," Hancock told AAP.

"Everything that's happened to surf lifesaving over the past couple of years has been really hard on the sport.

"We've all really stuck together which is amazing."

The hearing into the Adelaide allegations is expected to wind up on Sunday, with its findings made public at its conclusion.