Padel Magazine - Many of you on facebook ask questions about the famous FIP. Padel Magazine therefore offers an exclusive interview with Daniel Patty, new president of the International Federation of Padel (FIP) for a year. This Italian sports enthusiast, born in Moscow, ambassador and traveler, became president of the FIT for a year.

[box type = ”info”] The interview will have lasted over an hour and is in English. We offer a summary of this interview below. All the questions were put to him: Relationship with France, The problems encountered, the possibilities offered by the International Federation of padel for the French players, an update on the tensions but also the possible deadlines to come… His answers allow us to correct or learn certain things. [/ box]

Interview summary

PM: How do the clubs of padel Italians?

Daniel Patti is Italian and invites French speaking clubs and players to participate in Italian competitions. According to him, Italian clubs are developing with cities like Bologna in particular which is in full development with several clubs of padel in its periphery.

However, he indicates that France and Italy seemed to be playing more often a few years ago. It would be necessary to reboost the exchange the Italian and French clubs. He indicates that “It would be very positive for both countries”.

He also reminds that at the time Italian players were moving in French clubs like Toulouse, Nice or Aix. He regrets that this is not really the case anymore.

PM: Many of us in France do not understand the relations between France and the FIP… especially the reasons why French players cannot participate in international tournaments?

First Daniel Patti raises it is a pity that FIP ​​has lost one of its members ". If the FIP could have done otherwise it would have done so.

In summary, Daniel Patti explains to us that there are 2 problems in France that are blocking for the moment:

The first concerns a fee that the FFT (French Federation of Padel) owes the FIP. Indeed, according to her, the federation of padel would not have paid the fee for the past two years to FIP. The LNP (National Line of Padel) if she wishes to have a chance to be a member of the FIP, to pay the debts of the French Federation of Padel.

Then, the president of the FIP insists that she has been deceived by the FFP since she became a member of the FIP. Indeed, she and her members learned that the FFP is neither approved by the French sports ministry, but "Also does not have the authorization to call itself Federation" and to define itself as such during the world championships of padel. The FIP also received a letter to this effect directly from the Ministry of Sports.

However Daniel Patti specifies that the FIP got along well with the FFP since 1992 (which we must now call the French association of padel), that it is not a " personnal issue "but there is an administrative problem that prevents the FFP from integrating the FIP. By saying that, he adds that it is unfortunate that the French leaders “Work for themselves and not as a group”.

PM: What about today between the FIP and France?

The president indicates that he is currently working with Cédric Carité who created the National Line of padel. But there also, he specifies that there is always a problem since without speaking about the internal conflict in France which hinders the FIP, the LNP does not have either the support of the ministry. He is aware that the LNP would seek to approach the FFT (L Fédération Française de Tennis). According to him, it would be very positive for everyone. Daniel Patti indicates in particular that the FFT is known around the world and is certainly one of the most powerful tennis federations in the world. Integrating FFT would do a lot of good padel French. He is following this very carefully.

Regarding the FFP, it has almost no relationship, among other things because its main officials are no longer in France ...

PM: We were told that France could not participate in the World Cups in padel… Isn't this a negative effect on the development of padel in France ?

“The information is not really true”.

According to the president, he absolutely wishes to clarify that, on the contrary, French players are welcome during the World Cup stages of padel. He encourages French players to participate in this world championship. Besides, the next step takes place in Florida in March. He hopes there will be French players.

On the other hand, what is true is that the France team can no longer be represented at international competitions or team matches. But French players can introduce themselves and obtain a world ranking.

To conclude, we could remember that Daniel Patty seems to want to calm things down. He wants the French representatives of the padel form a " hotel "To develop the padel. He is also very impatient to see the result with the FFT.

Franck Binisti - Padel Magazine
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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