Canada's best hope for Olympic surfing medal has a problem — she's not a Canadian yet

Many in Canadian Olympic circles are predicting big things in Paris for teenage surfing sensation Erin Brooks. The only problem is that Brooks is not a Canadian citizen and is currently not eligible to represent Canada on the Olympic stage.

Brooks has garnered significant media attention in recent years, rising quickly up the ranks and making a name for herself in the surfing world and beyond. For the past number of years, she has competed under the Canadian flag at international events, including earlier this month when she won a silver medal at the world championship in El Salvador. All of the coverage of her success, including articles written on the Canadian Olympic Committee's (COC) website, report that the 15-year-old is a dual citizen of Canada.

In reality, Brooks has been granted exemptions to compete for Canada at these competitions with assurances that her pending application for citizenship is likely to succeed. No such exemption is possible for the Olympics or the Pan Am Games.

"I am just focused on competing," the 15-year-old Brooks told CBC Sports. "The citizenship thing is something my dad and other people can take care of. I am just focusing on surfing."

For the past three years, Brooks' family, with the help of the COC and Surf Canada, has been trying to convince the Canadian government to grant the surfing phenom Canadian citizenship.

"We're certainly getting closer and closer to the wire. I just hope it happens. It would be wonderful to see her be part of Team Canada," David Shoemaker, CEO of the COC, told CBC. "We do support her application. We think she'd be a wonderful addition to Team Canada because not only of her potential to compete at the highest level and compete for a medal, but her