The situation of padel in Belgium never ceases to be paradoxical. Last December, the government handed over the reins of the padel withAFT Padel, a federation that 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 a federation of padel independent.

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, comes back for us on the choice of the ministry and on the “resistance which is organized” in order to win “the war of the padel".

« Despite the unfortunate choice of the Minister of Sports in French-speaking Belgium, Valérie Glatigny, to recognize the tennis federation (AFT), the war of padel is in the process of being won by the independent federation of padel, 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 with our friends at the AFT, a mixed tennis-padel cannot withdraw from the AFT section padel 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 hastily started its swansong in the worst possible way since it threatens its own clubs to exclude them from interclubs and tennis competitions. She invokes a point in her 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 changing room or their club house if the club chooses the federation of padel historical. »

“We derive our legitimacy from our clubs”

« Fortunately, the resistance is organized and some clubs are determined not to be hampered in their freedom of choice by some leaders of the AFT. These clubs are exasperated by the poor results of the section padel of AFT and by prospects for 2023 which are not very encouraging 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 hardline and irresponsible 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 spent by some leaders blinded by the idea of ​​hoarding the 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 the players of good will and all the clubs who really want to develop our sport with us, in partnership, as we have always done. We want to end the division of the community of padel by continuing to welcome mixed tennis-padel, sure. But we want to bring together all the other clubs already formed, 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 taken solely in the interest of our favorite sport, padel. We will give the warmest welcome to all the clubs for which the padel is a real priority. We understand that some clubs prefer to choose the padel as an ancillary activity to a tennis club which will remain the main activity, alongside pétanque courts or ping-pong tables. We obviously leave them the free choice to join 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 falls into the pot of padel in 2018. Since then, he thinks about it every morning while shaving… but never shaves pala in hand! Journalist in Alsace, he has no other ambition than to share his passion with you, whether you speak French, Italian, Spanish or English.

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