Sometimes the rules of the game are no longer enough. In some cases, the courts decide. A recent decision by the  Court of Cassation  The case law in squash serves as a stark reminder that a player can be held liable… even in the middle of a rally. This legal precedent echoes increasingly frequent situations in padel.

An injury during the match… and a legal dispute

During a squash match, a player is violently struck in the eye by a ball hit by his opponent. Believing that the ball's action directly caused his injury, he requests a  compensation .

The insurance company, on the other hand, disputes this. Their argument is a classic one in law: since the ball was used by both players, they are liable.  co-responsible parties In other words, neither can be held solely responsible… except in cases of abnormal behavior.

This is precisely the heart of the dispute: the injured player claims that his opponent hit the ball in a fit of anger, outside the normal course of the game.

The decision: individual responsibility retained

In its ruling of November 27, 2025, the  Court of Cassation  clearly decides.

The judges determined that, at the moment of impact, only one player had complete control of the action. The ball was sent along a trajectory that prevented the rally from continuing, which demonstrates exclusive control of the movement.

Consequently, this player is considered  solely responsible for the damage caused .

An important decision, which clarifies that joint responsibility no longer applies when a player deviates from the normal course of play.

An obvious parallel with padel

This case law directly raises the question of the  responsibility in padel , a sport where close situations and unpredictable trajectories are frequent.

In a discipline where:

  • The players move in groups of four in a small space
  • Smash shots can be violent.
  • The bullets can deflect off the windows.
  • Points are sometimes decided by body shots

the border between  normal game action  et  dangerous gesture  can quickly become blurry.

Is padel a sport prone to disputes?

In most cases, injuries in padel are considered inherent to the game. As in squash, players accept a certain level of risk when they step onto the court.

But this decision opens a breach:

  • a smash deliberately directed towards an opponent
  • a gesture of moodiness or annoyance
  • a ball hit without the intention of playing the point

could be reclassified as  wrongful behavior , thus engaging the player's responsibility.

Arbitration, self-arbitration and liability

This topic echoes a well-known debate in padel: that of the self-arbitration .

Unlike other sports, many matches – especially amateur ones – are played without a referee. The players are therefore the sole judges:

  • good shots or fouls
  • genes
  • and potentially… dangerous situations

In this context, the question becomes central:  Who decides that an action goes beyond the bounds of the game? 

Towards an evolution of rules or of mentalities?

This decision could have several indirect consequences for padel:

  • increased awareness among players of their actions
  • particular attention paid to situations of tension
  • a reflection on the supervision of certain matches (tournaments, high levels)

Without going so far as to legalize sport, it reminds us of one essential thing: the framework of the game protects... as long as it is respected.

The message sent by the justice system is clear: playing involves shared risks, but stepping outside the bounds of the game entails individual responsibility.

In a sport like padel, which is expanding rapidly and sometimes under pressure, this boundary deserves to be clearly identified.

Because beyond the point, the match, or the tournament, it is truly the  player safety  which remains in play.

 source:  Judgment of the Court of Cassation, Second Civil Chamber, November 27, 2025, No. 24-12045

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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