FFT / WPT - Everyone has their own anti-Covid strategy

The whole world is mobilizing to avoid as much as possible the transmission of Covid-19, this is the case of the FFT and the World Padel Tour, who have the same goal but a different method of achieving it.

PCR / Serology: what's the difference?

We contacted a general practitioner who gave us this brief explanation: “PCR (ACP in French which means: polymerase chain reaction) directly searches for virus DNA and therefore aims to search for an active infection. Its limit is the quality of the sample, which can give rise to false negatives. Unless there is a handling error, it does not give rise to false positives. Its interest is going to be whether a person will be contagious at some point. ”

"Serology looks for antibodies that the body can produce in response to infection with the virus, during the first days of infection this test will generally be negative, and it can even remain false negative the following days in some cases. Serology generally results in false positives much more often than PCR because antibodies to other pathogens may cross react with the test."

"Generally, in people without symptoms, PCR is much more relevant. Serology will be of interest a posteriori to know if a person has been infected or not. “

FFT: (almost) no risk for the internship

If he had been respected until the end, the FFT protocol to avoid Covid-19 contamination during the gathering of the France team would have been exemplary. Indeed, the FFT asked the players present at the rally to pass two tests: serology and PCR. They couldn't participate in the course without both being negative.

As proof, the player who was PCR positive was serology negative, she could therefore perfectly well have played a World Padel Tour (WPT). We will come back to that.

The rest we know: unfortunately, the officials let in two players who had not yet received the results of their analyzes and followed a cancellation of the camp and the tournament, as well as a quarantine imposed for all players who were present at the opening meeting ...

If we rule out this unfortunate event which is ultimately only the responsibility of a few people who failed in their duty, the measures that had been taken by the FFT to try to avoid the transmission of the virus this stage were very coherent.

However, for tournaments, the FFT does not ask players to be tested. She certainly feels that they are responsible enough not to enter a tournament if they have been in contact with an infected person or if they have symptoms of the virus. The problem is, players don't know if they are carrying the virus.

She somehow accepts a low risk that a player carrying Covid-19 could infect other players. Le World Padel Tour on the other hand, wishes to limit this risk as much as possible.

World Padel Tour : the choice between serology and PCR

First, the World Padel Tour asks players to answer a questionnaire to find out if they have had symptoms in the previous days, or if they may have been in contact with people positive for Covid-19. Then they are asked to provide a test, dating less than a week before the day they are going to play.

In Spain, tests are not not reimbursed by social security for people who do not have symptoms. As the WPT does not cover the costs incurred for the players, the latter tend to favor serology which costs less (around € 60, against 130 for the PCR).

In the event of suspicious serology, these are the doctors from World Padel Tour which require players to provide a negative PCR test in order to participate in the tournament. They must obviously wear the mask at all times (except when they are in the field). Moreover, before each match, players must undergo a temperature test, and if they have a fever, they cannot attend the meeting.

A measure deemed excessive by some (a player who has an infection with another pathogen can have a fever without being a carrier of the Covid), but it once again allows limit the risks. In view of all these elements, we notice that the WPT's strategy is not perfect, but it still seems to offer a acceptable security against virus.

In the case of the French PCR positive player, she could have largely participated in a stage of the World Padel Tour because she was negative for serology and showed no signs of the virus ...

The paradox of these institutions

At the same time, the institutions are looking for a regulation to preserve the players and revive the economy of the padel, and at the same time, the “show must go on” for our greatest pleasure.

Le World Padel Tour therefore presents flaws in player security. Allowing players to choose which test to perform is one of them.. We understand that there was also a cost reason behind these tests, since they are neither reimbursed by the State, nor by the professional circuit. And if we go too far in the tests, we run the risk of having players amputated in the main draw with a risk of cancellation of tournaments ...

We have seen it in France! What surprised this week was this prudent policy of the FFT to require the two tests of the players who presented themselves at the rally in Perpignan, and nothing to the players who participated in the P2000 of the Club du Mas. Especially since accompanying persons and the public were planned.

Concretely, if the positive player had decided not to come to the rally, but only to the test of padel, then, the internship would have taken place like the tournament. An astonishing paradox. The FFT was asked to obtain explanations on this choice, and Thierry Pham, the manager padel high leveltried to come back to this episode.

No risk 0

We see that these two institutions take the virus very seriously and that they are taking measures, which if they are still questionable, all the same seem satisfactory enough to limit the transmission of Covid-19.

It must nevertheless be realized that risk 0 does not exist, in particular in view of the reliability of the tests which is not yet perfect, and players must understand that by entering a tournament, they agree to take a risk of contagion, however low it may be, and in particular to find themselves in isolation if they have been in contact with an infected person. This is the price to pay to be able to practice your passion in this complicated period.

The subject of Covid-19 is as passionate as it is frightening, if you have any questions, don't forget that the Government has set up a toll-free number to obtain information on the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19), open 24 hours a day, 24 days a week: 0 800 130 000.

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