La  French Tennis Federation  officially obtained the  pickleball delegation  delivered by the  Ministry of Sports This decision now gives the FFT the  exclusive responsibility to organize, structure and develop the practice of pickleball in France , within a framework recognized by the State.

 Clear institutional recognition 

The ministerial delegation constitutes the most important legal act in the organization of a sporting discipline in France. It gives the delegated federation the authority to define the  official sporting rules , organize the  national competitions , deliver the  licences , structure the  training for coaches and referees and represent the discipline to the  national and international bodies .

By obtaining this delegation, the FFT therefore becomes the the leading authority on pickleball in France , putting an end to a period of more fragmented development, driven by independent associations or structures.

 A decision resulting from federal arbitration 

 Before the official awarding of the delegation Several federations were naturally mentioned as potential bodies to oversee the development of pickleball in France, including the  French Badminton Federation The Ministry of Sports has finally  The decision was made in favor of the French Tennis Federation. believing that its experience in organizing racket sports and its network of clubs offered the most suitable framework for the structured development of the discipline. This decision is now  official and formalized , the FFT being the sole federation delegated to pickleball on French territory.

The final decision in favor of the FFT appears to be based on several key criteria:

  • the historical expertise  of the federation in the  racket sports ,
  • are  dense territorial network ,
  • and its already proven ability to  integrate and structure new disciplines As  paddle  or  Beach tennis .

 A structuring framework for a growing discipline 

Pickleball has been experiencing a surge in popularity for several years now.  rapid growth on a global scale , particularly in North America. In France, the discipline is still emerging but is progressing steadily, driven by its  high accessibility ,  rapid learning  and its  intergenerational audience .

The delegation entrusted to the FFT paves the way for a  clear structure  : harmonization of rules, organization of official competitions, recognition of practitioners and better readability for clubs as well as for communities.

For tennis clubs, this integration also represents a  concrete opportunity Pickleball can be played on existing facilities, with a  limited material investment , while allowing to  diversify the sports offering .

 A comprehensive strategy for racket sports 

With this new delegation, the FFT confirms its desire to position itself as a  leading federation for racket sports by encompassing complementary disciplines with different but converging logics. Tennis, padel, beach tennis and now pickleball are part of a strategy aimed at  broaden the base of practitioners while maintaining a structured federal framework.

 A foundational step for French pickleball 

Obtaining this delegation marks a  key step  for the development of pickleball in France. It provides essential institutional legitimacy and lays the foundations for structured, sustainable and transparent growth.

The next step will now be the  operational implementation  (even though already largely underway): competitive calendar, licensing procedures, coach training, and integration of existing structures. These are all projects eagerly awaited by those already involved in the sport.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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