The fastest growing sport in the world, padel could it be becoming a "golden hen" of modern times?

The question is worth asking when we see the failed pustch attempt led by ITF(International Tennis Federation), aiming to monopolize the governance of the padel global. The string was certainly too big and was quick to arouse an outcry from the professional players and legitimate federation for more than 30 years, the FIP.

Scathing disavowal for the ITF

In order not to create an open war, the presidents of the national tennis federations – even those in charge of padel in their country – have therefore scathingly disavowed the American president of the ITF.

But beyond this episode, the padel appears today as a new Eldorado, this mythical region of South America where the conquistadors hoped to find their fortune.

The war of the professional circuits is only one of the illustrations of this rush where everyone competes in strategy – and sometimes low blows – to obtain the best vein and ruin their competitors. To the too showy tactic of the pustch, others prefer that of the Trojan horse: to break into the heart of the governing bodies of the padel worldwide and seduce the best players with tickets… or promises.

The gold of padel is not for sale

What is true at the international level is also sometimes true at the national level. Testifies to it the Belgian case : a country of 11 million inhabitants where four federations once existed! In the north, the tennis federation won the war and supplanted that of padel ; in the French-speaking south, two federations are still competing to win the Holy Grail: the exclusivity of the padel...

But be careful, because, as in “The Goose that Lays the Golden Egg”, too much greed ends up drying up the source of wealth. In his fable, La Fontaine tells us how an impatient farmer, hoping to find treasure in the entrails of his hen, disembowels her instead of waiting for her to lay her golden eggs. But inside his dead hen, he finds only flesh...

The gold of padel, these are its players, its leaders, its enthusiasts, all over the world. Their passion belongs only to them and cannot be bought. The spectacle of greedy sharks killing each other only ruins our sport. And it gives... goosebumps!

More and more enthusiasts of padel are not for sale

After 40 years of tennis, Jérôme falls into the pot of padel in 2018. Since then, he thinks about it every morning while shaving… but never shaves pala in hand! Journalist in Alsace, he has no other ambition than to share his passion with you, whether you speak French, Italian, Spanish or English.

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