This weekend in Lisbon, during the Challenger tournament of World Padel Tour, many leaders of padel global institution met at the initiative of the Presidents of the Spanish Federation and the Portuguese Federation as well as Fabrice Pastor, CEO of Monte-Carlo International Sport (MCIS).

This gathering was the focal point of various initiatives aimed at the creation of continental federations:

  • European Federation of Padel
  • North American Federation
  • Federation of South America

The objective of this major meeting was also to take stock of the international atmosphere around the padel and the relationship of these new structures with the International Federation of Padel (the FIP).

Starting point: A disagreement with "the current FIP"

We remember that similar discussions during the previous European Championship at the end of 2017, still in Lisbon, could not be concluded, mainly because of differences of opinion between the instigators of the project (Portugal & Spain) and the president of the FIP ( International Federation of Padel), Daniel Patti.

Far from being discouraged, the people behind the project Ricardo da Silva Oliveira (Portugal) & Alfredo Garbisu (Spain) returned to the charge with a more global project, but without consultation with the International Federation of Padel.

The European Federation of Padel : “Soon a reality”

Philippe Cerfont, president of the French-speaking association of padel in Belgium and one of the pillars of the future European Federation of padel explain to us :

The European Federation of Padel very soon will be a reality. The creation of the EPA (European Padel Association) is imminent and will bring together at least 13 European Federations (with the notable exception of France and Italy) but with Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Great Britain, Holland, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland in particular.

For the moment a few countries are therefore missing, including two major snowshoeing countries: France and Italy. Philippe Cerfont adds:

We will work with the different institutions to try to integrate them into this European Federation of Padel.

La Padel Ryder Cup, a project maybe for next year

The President of the Francophone Federation of padel in Belgium also tells us that:

The EPA has some great projects in the cards, including a kind of golf-style Ryder Cup where the best players from European countries would meet their South American counterparts, a more attractive European Championship of Nations, new formats of European championships and various initiatives around the training of teachers, referees and young people.

Towards a transfer of power to FIP?

The overall idea of ​​all these new Federations is to present a front padel more united across the different federal levels. A convergence of view would indeed be welcome between the new continental associations, the national federations and the FIP to face the many challenges induced by the exponential growth of our sport.

It can be read between the lines that these evolutions will undoubtedly go through a change of leadership within the FIP.

Mr. Pastor, who seems supported by a large majority of federations, presented a project of professionalization of international structures "which will ultimately allow faster development of padel in the world".

The rapprochement of certain Tennis Federations / Padel with the ITF

Patricia Froissart, already informed us of the meetings of the FFT with Tennis Europe (and therefore indirectly with the ITF: International Tennis Federation). It considered that a reconciliation of the FFT concerning the padel with the ITF was “in the boxes".

Le padel Olympic sport?

In focus, the official international recognition of the padel within GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations), an organization in which the padel already has observer status today. The ultimate goal is to see the padel  be among the Olympic sports in 2028!

Remember that France is already working on it.

Hubert Picquier: “99% of the subsidies can go to padel"

Several organizations for the promotion of padel

The discussions between the different actors will probably begin quickly to work on a constructive transition for the FIP leadership ...

Different organizations are in the game to represent and promote the padel...

In a way, this is rather very positive, since we see many actors wanting to represent and promote the padel global. In any case, the task will be not obvious, as there are so many things to do. But our great luck is precisely the incredible development of this sport on all continents.

Institutions and organizations have a real nugget in their hands and hopefully they will all agree to make this sport a must-have sport in the global sports landscape.

Photo credit: Monte Carlo International Sports
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.

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