Bernard Giudicelli: "We are going to plead our difference"

Tennis and padel must face an unprecedented crisis. Blame it on COVID-19 which destabilizes the global economy. The government advocates containment as the main remedy to reduce cases of infections.

In this hot context, The President of the French Tennis Federation, Bernard Giudicelli explained yesterday wanting “bring an action before the Council of State" for unblock the situation for tennis and tennis clubs padel and allow them to reopen as soon as possible.

If the FFT proposes a new action plan to help tennis professionals, what about coaches, clubs and players while respecting government measures?

Next Friday, this legal action before the highest administrative court will be submitted to the FFT executive committee (COMEX).

A sword in the water or a chance to succeed?

The Council of State, why?

The Council of State is the supreme administrative judge. He is the judge of Cassation. It is the ultimate and last resort in the face of decrees or acts of bodies with national jurisdiction.

Note, however, that unlike a classic judicial procedure where the appeal in Cassation only intervenes after appeal, here it is an exceptional legal remedy.

The Council of State will intervene only on questions of rights: have the rules been respected? Was the law correctly applied?

COMEX will not disown its President

The legal action that the President of the FFT wishes to take can only be done with the approval of the Executive Committee of the FFT.

The COMEX should certainly follow its President and thus validate the action process before the Council of State. In fact, it is difficult to see the committee being even more zealous in the face of this crisis. Especially since it is a way of showing the world of tennis and padel, that the FFT tries to do things for clubs and coaches. Politically, it is indeed necessary to do so because let us remember that the elections will take place on February 13. This period is therefore crucial for the continuation of the management team in place.

This is therefore more of a formality. The question is: is this action likely to go to the end?

Effective action?

If the FFT does not, it will be criticized. If it does, it will be too because it will be said that it is playing the political card and opportunism.

The question that interests us here is: does this action before the highest court have a chance of succeeding?

Next December, the government could give up ballast. We do not yet know in what form. But positive signs could give us hope for the opening of sports clubs. Why ?

From next Monday, many sports clubs will reopen for people with a medical certificate. Swimming pools have already reopened, again with the obligation to have a medical certificate.

A first step before an easing next December? Difficult to say so much we hear everything and its opposite from the beginning of the health crisis.

But while this legal action is likely to fail, it could have an impact on future government decisions. A way for the FFT to put the pressure and to mark the blow with the media and especially with its licensees and affiliated / authorized clubs.

For Bernard Giudicelli, “we must plead our difference (...), we are not a contact sport".

Hope this voice is heard.

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.