One month after Fabrice Pastor's decision to "cease all activity directly or indirectly related to padel“, The President of Monte Carlo International Sports goes behind the scenes between him, the players and the World Padel Tour. He explains the reasons which led him to withdraw from the world of padel.

I have nothing to hide. I will tell you exactly what happened. Everything is factual.

What to say after this disillusion?

It's terrible to say, but we have to do with a real mafia. We cannot say anything, do nothing, suggest nothing. The World Padel Tour as it was built is sufficient for the owner. It is certain, this circuit benefits only a few.

I wanted to create a real revolution in the professional world of padel and extend to previas and preprevias certain advantages offered only from the main board.

The idea was to limit the financial loss for the top 80 players worldwide. Of course, I had reassessed the endowments of circuits, provided guarantees on each of the steps that we would propose. We opened the circuit to players far from the top 10 world. The idea was also to link the Federations to the professional circuit.

Because again, in a rather strange way, the World Padel Tour leads his life without being accountable to anyone, or even to the various federations. This is not normal and I wanted to break it.

In the world of padel, many regret that the World Padel Tour and MCIS are not trying together to unite and unite their power. Was it really not possible?

I wanted to do it. 4/5 years ago with the owner of the WPT circuit, I proposed to him to unite us and to inject 20 million euros each to build an exceptional professional circuit, because the World Padel Tour is a circuit which in my opinion is still too amateur in some respects and too focused on Spain. The answer, you know it. Refusal of the owner of the circuit.

Estrella Damm rejects the proposal, believing that what they are doing is already enough.

I could have become a manager of World Padel Tour. I was ready to try to bring my stone to the building.

But then you know it.

This idea of ​​offering a truly professional circuit, with a much larger endowment than what we know today, by internationalizing the circuit far too centered on itself, everyone had to gain from it and especially the padel.

Yet we were never able to go further with the World Padel Tour. The very idea of ​​doing something big together was swept away by the circuit.

What is World Padel Tour should have done?

I think, without false modesty, that the World Padel Tour should have made a gesture, opened up. I could bring not only financial means, but also openings towards the international one that I wanted for this sport.

By unveiling the concept of the International Padel Tour, you could see how much we wanted to internationalize the padel.

Le World Padel Tour is associated with a beer: La Estrella Damm. The idea was to get out of this internationally limited circuit by the sole fact that the main sponsor is a beer brand. There was everything to gain from delighting new markets and new partners by diluting a brand that is not necessarily welcome around the world.

In some countries, such as France, with the Evin law for example or in Muslim countries, how to promote a professional circuit where the main sponsor is an alcohol brand. And even in countries where it is allowed, country policy tends to limit alcohol advertising.

At the head of World Padel Tour, above all we have an owner of a beer whose only interest is the development of his beer and not that of the padel. It's sad. What is even more important is that the players know it and that they had the possibility to do something for themselves, but also for the padel. And we know the rest.

This is not an opinion, I am an enthusiast who states very simple facts and has an international vision.

Le padel was very expensive?

Even more than you imagine. It cost me financially and humanely. The passion for the sport made me do things that no brand in the market was ready to do. I've been fighting for this sport for 6 years. I spent several million euros. Last year alone, more than 5 million euros spent in the padel. I have set up circuits, sponsored players, helped players as well and done many other things for I think the good of the padel. And I was thanked in the worst possible way: Betrayal.

I realized that the professional environment is deeply unhealthy. It is gangrenous by some people who do not want it to change.

But the least obvious to me are the disappointments. Some players, who simply betrayed me and who returned their jacket overnight.

There is a moment when you have to say basta. Yes I am passionate. I did a lot of things and worked a lot to try to come up with an interesting project for everyone and especially for the padel. But in return, the illusory interests of a few players tipped the scales.

You talk about players who have disappointed you, which ones?

First of all, I think that some players like Chingotto, Belluati, Poggi and some others from the MCIS team made a mistake. Moyano / Capra betrayed MCIS. But I can also understand the pressure that there could be for all these players.

The other mistake is this association of players from padel which is set up. A group which was formed and which mixed all types of players with a lawyer supposed to represent this group. I say “supposed”…

At the root of the problem, it is not that the players get together, but it is all the varieties of players that there were in this group: The interest of a top 10 player is not necessarily that of a top 80 player. Other players are connected to brands and others are not. Others only play the main draw, while other players fight from the preprevias.

And these players, far in the rankings, are in a system where they have no rights and that homework. Is this normal from you?

The world of padel professional had the opportunity to embark on a circuit much more balanced on all levels.

The biggest losers are all these players. They will continue to criticize this professional circuit while there was an alternative. Too bad for them.

International Padel Tour had everything to seduce, right? Why did the players say no?

On paper, we proposed many advances for players. But strangely, we were attacked on rather minor elements.

Contractually, we wanted that in the event of litigation, the courts of Monaco are competent. The players wanted the Madrid courts. We therefore conceded for the Swiss courts.

Each tournament was financially guaranteed. And we tried to make believe that was not the case. We offered 20 tournaments in 11 different countries, 11 of which were already guaranteed.

And then, we will not lie, some players have played several games and have used the proposals of MCIS to raise the auction on the other side. All this was particularly unhealthy.

Finally the group of players you out of the game?

The players have certainly made an unfortunate decision for them at first.

They have put a brake on the growth of padel professional in the broad sense. We allowed players to have refunds, preferential prices on food / hotels / sports menus.

I have seen many pairs in previas or preprevias regret the too strict regulation of the World Padel Tour. To avoid injuries and days that were too complicated physically, we proposed to only play one game per day. You can imagine the difficulty for some deserving pairs to reach the main draw after the countless matches made during the qualifiers.

It is a sport that is made for the first 10. All others are forgotten.

I wanted to put an end to all this without going to war with Estrella Damm. I wanted for example that the association of the players that I wanted to set up is owner with 15% of the IPT. It was an unbeatable offer. Depending on the numbers, the association could thus benefit from the financial income of the IPT. It was win - win.

I had a hard time understanding what happened to get us there.

So that's definitely the end?

First of all for me, the MCIS, Fabrice Pastor Cup and all the sponsorships of competitions or players, it's over. I totally withdraw from this world.

I think the players have not made a difference. They had freedom, superior endowments, an international and very professional outlook, new partners, and many other advantages. Among other things, they had a passionate person, ready to invest both human and financial padel. I think I have proven it all these years and that I do not deserve such treatment.

But betrayals have deeply affected me and therefore indirectly my family and loved ones. I gave a lot on all the plans and I always said that if one day one did not want more of me, I will retire. This moment has unfortunately arrived.

Interview by Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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