Thomas Bach , President of  International Olympic Committee , made an impression during his visit to the  Foro Italico  in Rome, on the occasion of  BNL Italy Major Premier Padel . Hosted by  Luigi Carraro , president of the  International Federation of Padel (FIP) , he praised the spectacular development of this rapidly expanding sport.

A sport that shines internationally

As soon as he got out of the official car, the IOC President displayed a broad smile. A warm attitude that testifies to the sincere interest he has in sport in general, and in  paddle  in particular. While walking the aisles of the Roman tournament alongside Luigi Carraro, Thomas Bach noted the enthusiasm of the public and the growing fervor around this discipline.

"I see people playing padel all over the world, the courts are multiplying," he reportedly told Carraro. A remark that illustrates the dimension now  world  padel, recognized for its accessibility and character  social and inclusive .

Immersion in the heart of the tournament

On the  central court , Thomas Bach interacted with the young fans, taking the time to sign balls and chat with them about padel… but also football. A friendly approach that won over the stands, before he joined the players' area to meet some of the big names on the professional circuit:  Juan Lebrón, Arturo Coello, Coki Nieto, Mike Yanguas , or  Agu Tapia  et  Paquito Navarro .

A highlight preceded the highly anticipated match between  Sanchez/Josemaría  et  Alonso/Ortega , when Thomas Bach shared a few words with the players about to enter the field, then sat down in the stands alongside Luigi Carraro to follow part of the match, captivated by the intensity of the play and the technical quality of the athletes.

Paquito Navarro's wink

Among the most significant moments,  Paquito Navarro  surprised Thomas Bach with special attention: the Spaniard offered him the  official tournament racket , identical to the one he uses. In a relaxed atmosphere, Paquito even replayed his famous  “guitar shot” , miming a guitar riff with his pala. Amused, the IOC president played along under the amused gaze of the members of his delegation, sporting the famous  five Olympic rings  on their white polo shirts.

Padel on the verge of the Olympic Games?

This very symbolic visit reinforces the hopes of the padel community: to one day see this sport  integrate the Olympic program The support shown by Thomas Bach, his interest in the values ​​of padel and his closeness to the players only reinforce this perspective.

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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