Greetings All,
I never imagined that after years of loyalty to PADI, I’d find myself on the receiving end of their “your membership is not in our best interests” clause, an obscure contractual loophole that allows them to terminate members without justification or accountability.
But here’s the kicker: not only was I unfairly expelled, I was punished twice for the same incident—an incident where I was the victim of a violent crime, not the perpetrator.
The Short Version
In 2019, my Divemaster student and I were brutally assaulted by another PADI instructor whilst working as an IDC Staff Instructor on Boracay in the Philippines. The attack was caught on CCTV, and multiple witnesses confirmed what happened. The perp, a Filipino PADI MSDT was drunk as a skunk and throwing bottles of Red Horse around in the bar of Calypso Dive Resort on Boracay, breaking my nose and lacerating my face whilst pinned by his mates, and cutting my DM student and giving him a black eye.
PADI’s first reaction? They suspended me for two weeks—based on the false counter-claims of my attacker, who told PADI that I started the incident.
Fast forward to 2024: the criminal court ruled in my favour after my Filipina wife pressed charges—the attacker was convicted after 4 years of gaslighting the court trying to get them to believe his lies told to PADI, and was rightfully sentenced to one year in prison for serious physical injury.
PADI’s second reaction? Instead of acknowledging the court’s decision, they terminated my membership simply because I updated them on the ruling.
Yes, you read that right: reporting a legal conviction against the real offender got me kicked out of PADI.
The Bigger Problem
This isn’t just about me. This is about how PADI wields absolute power over its members under vague contractual terms:
Victim-blaming culture – If you’re a PADI pro, don’t expect protection if you’re the victim of misconduct. You may find yourself punished instead.
Double Jeopardy – Get penalized today? They can hit you again years later for the same issue, even if you’ve been cleared by a court of law.
The “Best Interests” Clause – PADI can revoke your membership at any time, without having to justify why.
No Right of Appeal – Once they decide, that’s it. No independent review, no arbitration, no oversight.
Has This Happened to You?
Have you ever had PADI use Clause 17 or similar against you?
Have you been terminated or suspended based on false or misleading claims?
Have you been punished for speaking out against misconduct?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Let’s bring this into the light—because if it happened to me, it can happen to anyone.
A former PADI IDC Staff Instructor.
Get your popcorn ready for the comments.
#Scuba #PADI #VictimBlaming #UnfairContracts #DivingCommunity #JusticeForInstructors #ScubaIndustry #DoubleJeopardy
I never imagined that after years of loyalty to PADI, I’d find myself on the receiving end of their “your membership is not in our best interests” clause, an obscure contractual loophole that allows them to terminate members without justification or accountability.
But here’s the kicker: not only was I unfairly expelled, I was punished twice for the same incident—an incident where I was the victim of a violent crime, not the perpetrator.
The Short Version
In 2019, my Divemaster student and I were brutally assaulted by another PADI instructor whilst working as an IDC Staff Instructor on Boracay in the Philippines. The attack was caught on CCTV, and multiple witnesses confirmed what happened. The perp, a Filipino PADI MSDT was drunk as a skunk and throwing bottles of Red Horse around in the bar of Calypso Dive Resort on Boracay, breaking my nose and lacerating my face whilst pinned by his mates, and cutting my DM student and giving him a black eye. PADI’s first reaction? They suspended me for two weeks—based on the false counter-claims of my attacker, who told PADI that I started the incident. Fast forward to 2024: the criminal court ruled in my favour after my Filipina wife pressed charges—the attacker was convicted after 4 years of gaslighting the court trying to get them to believe his lies told to PADI, and was rightfully sentenced to one year in prison for serious physical injury. PADI’s second reaction? Instead of acknowledging the court’s decision, they terminated my membership simply because I updated them on the ruling.Yes, you read that right: reporting a legal conviction against the real offender got me kicked out of PADI.
The Bigger Problem
This isn’t just about me. This is about how PADI wields absolute power over its members under vague contractual terms:
Victim-blaming culture – If you’re a PADI pro, don’t expect protection if you’re the victim of misconduct. You may find yourself punished instead. Double Jeopardy – Get penalized today? They can hit you again years later for the same issue, even if you’ve been cleared by a court of law. The “Best Interests” Clause – PADI can revoke your membership at any time, without having to justify why. No Right of Appeal – Once they decide, that’s it. No independent review, no arbitration, no oversight.Has This Happened to You?
Have you ever had PADI use Clause 17 or similar against you? Have you been terminated or suspended based on false or misleading claims? Have you been punished for speaking out against misconduct?I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Let’s bring this into the light—because if it happened to me, it can happen to anyone.
A former PADI IDC Staff Instructor.
Get your popcorn ready for the comments.
#Scuba #PADI #VictimBlaming #UnfairContracts #DivingCommunity #JusticeForInstructors #ScubaIndustry #DoubleJeopardy
