Le World Padel Tour  could be attacked by professional players because of a abuse of a dominant position and an unfair term which would not allow players to be free in their choice.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the players would thus consider taking legal action with the European Court of Justice in the hope of breaking free World Padel Tour (Setpoint Events SA), funded by Estrella Damm.

La European Commission could at least be seized by the association of professional players to escalate this discord.

A contract with a very controversial clause

At the center of the debates this famous contract of January 1, 2019 called Contract for the Provision of Professional Services (“Contrato de Prestación de Servicios Profesionales”) established for a period of 4 years.

It thus obliges the 100 best players in the world ranking to participate in its tournaments except for just cause (injuries, family death, etc.)

The technical regulations indicate that the 20 best players in the world cannot participate, outside the World Tour circuit:

  • than in the Spanish individual and team championships,
  • at the European Championships
  • at the Worlds of padel

However, from the 21st place they can participate in tournaments as long as it does not hinder their presence in the competitions of the first level international season.

Except of course that offering other professional tournaments alongside the World Padel Tour may hinder the proper functioning of this so-called “reference” circuit for the moment.

The WPT caught at its own game?

So, technically, not only are the top 20 players in the world totally blocked, but in reality, it is very likely that all of the top 100 are affected by the ban from participating in another professional circuit like the APT. Padel Tour, the Players Padel Tower or again the circuit project of Nasser Al-Khelaifi / QSI.

Behind the scenes, many players of padel were already criticizing this clause. Some of them have chosen to play the APT Padel Tower. And the sanction was the exclusion of these players from the circuit World Padel Tour as was the case for the French Jérémy Scatena. Abusive sanctions according to these players. But what to do with World Padel Tour and above all one of the world brewing giants which achieved 2019 billion euros in turnover in 1,3?

The players' professional association could thus decide to go on the counter-attack to simply put an end to the World Padel Tour.

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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