The situation of padel in Belgium continues to be paradoxical. Last December, the government entrusted the reins of padel to theAFT Padel, a federation which brings together both tennis and padel... This success of the mixed federation, in charge of padel for two more years, could have sounded the death knell for the hopes of the AFPadel, which defends an independent padel federation.

But apparently, this is not the case: not only does the AFP continue to affiliate clubs and players, to organize its own competitions, but it even claims a forthcoming final victory in the open war which opposes it to the AFT Padel. A victory based on a greater number of clubs and players who are loyal to him, as well as on more frequented competitions.

Nearly 3000 licensees and 81 clubs

Philippe Cerfont, treasurer of the AF federationPadel, returns to us on the choice of the ministry and on the “resistance which is being organized” with a view to winning “the padel war”.

« Despite the unfortunate choice of the Minister of Sports in French-speaking Belgium, Valérie Glatigny, to recognize the tennis federation (AFT), the padel war is about to be won by the independent padel federation, the AFPadel. As of January 12, 2023, we already have nearly 3000 validated licenses and 81 clubs that have joined us voluntarily. You should know that among our friends at the AFT, a mixed tennis-padel club cannot withdraw from the AFT padel section and is therefore automatically listed as part – sometimes fictitiously – of their “federation”.

The Cupra Masters at the Wolf Padel Park

« At the same time, the AFT has hastily started its swan song in the worst way since it threatens its own clubs to exclude them from interclub and tennis competitions. It invokes a point of its statutes passed on the sly some time ago, which stipulates that tennis clubs can no longer share their facilities with a sport linked to another federation. The AFT thus wants to try to intimidate the clubs by telling them that they cannot share their parking lot, their locker room or their club house if the club chooses the historic padel federation.

“We derive our legitimacy from our clubs”

« Fortunately, resistance is being organized and some clubs are determined not to be hindered in their freedom of choice by certain AFT leaders. These clubs are exasperated by the poor results of the AFT padel section and by the very unencouraging outlook for 2023 for them.
« These clubs and their leaders must understand that making the choice of AFPadel is a matter of common sense for them. The clubs were able to judge on paper last year when the two federations were in competition in French-speaking Belgium: they naturally saw greater success for our various competitions. In AFT interclubs, for example, some interclub teams at a leisure level sometimes had to travel very long distances to join another AFT club. It will be even worse this year because we have more clubs. It is harmful for the development of our sport but also not very eco-responsible. »
 « We believe that the ministerial recognition was granted incorrectly, without analysis of our activity report. We have also decided to go before the Council of State to contest this decision which could have solved everything. We derive our legitimacy from our clubs, our community, our experience and our results on the pitch. »

Acting for the good of sport

 « We deplore once again the irresponsible and die-hard attitude of the tennis federation as well as its inability to truly act for the good of the sport but also for the good of its own clubs. Focusing on tennis would be a good omen given the negative energy expended by certain leaders blinded by the idea of ​​monopolizing padel in order to clearly compensate for the decline of tennis, despite a certain denial of reality often heard.
« AFPadel now wants to bring together all players of good will and all clubs that truly want to develop our sport with us, in partnership, as we have always done. We want to put an end to the division of the padel community by continuing to welcome mixed tennis-padel clubs, of course. But we want to bring together all the other clubs already established, linked to other sports or not, in order to offer them the best service from a federation of enthusiasts, independent of any external influence and whose decisions are made solely in the interest of our favorite sport, padel. We will reserve the best welcome to all clubs for which padel is a real priority. We understand that some clubs prefer to choose padel as an ancillary activity of a tennis club that will remain the main activity, alongside the pétanque courts or the ping-pong tables. We obviously leave them the free choice of joining the federation of their choice, us.

The ball is in AFT's court Padel, who – let's not doubt it – must also be persuaded that only she can win the war!

After 40 years of tennis, Jérôme fell into the padel pot in 2018. Since then, he thinks about it every morning while shaving… but never shaves with a pala in hand! A journalist in Alsace, his only ambition is to share his passion with you, whether you speak French, Italian, Spanish or English.

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