Supervised practice Tennis / padel for adults: Authorized!

Can resume group tennis and padel from November 28? YES ! The FFT press release and the application of health decisions from the Ministry in charge of Sports are very clear on this point.

Yet the decree of November 27, 2020 mentions, for some unknown reason, which even the President of the FFT is unable to explain, that “supervised activities are exclusive destination minors".

A simple word that nevertheless disturbs this first stage of deconfinement for many tennis and tennis clubs. padel.

You have asked yourself a lot of questions about the feasibility of offering supervised or group lessons to adults. We will try to summarize for you the situation, which is very simple but made complicated by the decree which the clubs learned about this morning.

What does the Decree say on supervised sports practice?

Article 42 of Decree No. 2020-1454 of November 27, 2020 amending Decree No. 2020-1310 of October 29, 2020 specifically mentions that:

Outdoor sports establishments can also welcome the public for:
- lsupervised activities exclusively for minors ;
- physical and sports activities adults, with the exception of team sports and combat sports.

Consequently, the supervised activities that are group lessons are only intended for minors.

And this is why town halls are blocking or prohibiting the reopening of certain outdoor structures even though the Ministry of Sports and the FFT tell us the opposite.

These are the mysteries of the administration of which the FFT, the clubs and the practitioners are the first victims.

What do the FFT and the Ministry in charge of Sports say?

Regarding the application of health decisions for sport on the website of the Ministry in charge of Sports, it is clearly indicated that adults can practice an individual or supervised outdoor sport activity:

For adults, the practice of a sporting activity becomes possible again in outdoor facilities (stadium, golf course, tennis court, equestrian centers, outdoor grounds, etc.) individually or supervised by a club or an association in compliance with reinforced health protocols.

Moreover, on the website of the Tennis Federation, it is just as clear:

Practice (tennis, padel... outdoors) "is authorized for minors and adults but the teacher must adapt his teaching practice. (…). Students should observe a physical distance of at least 2 meters in any game situation. ”

Many clubs have not waited for the decree to reopen since this morning.

“The decree raises questions that need not be”

Faced with the sling of some tennis clubs and teachers and padel which cannot reopen because of certain bans by the town hall and the decree of November 27, the President of the FFT spoke at the end of the day to reassure and express his incomprehension in relation to this decree:

Reading the decree of November 27 raises questions that need not be on the supervised practice of adults.
As the FFT specifies on its site, it is authorized for minors and adults.
Pto be convinced of this, it suffices to refer to the website of the Ministry of Sports which publishes its article on “the application of health decisions on sport”.
No need to create problems where there are none.

On the website of the Ministry in charge of Sports, the answer is very clear and perfectly matches the words and press releases of the FFT and its President.

In fact, adults can to practice a sport again when this equipment is “in the open” in compliance with sanitary protocol.

Consequently, all sports clubs offering outdoor equipment are fully covered by the Ministry of Sports and the French Tennis Federation.

Clubs and teachers blocked by the decree

The protocol, press release from the FFT and information on the website of the Ministry of Sports are nevertheless very clear. But some town halls like that of Asnières prevent the reopening of sports clubs for the following reason: The decree does not say that adults can resume group lessons despite the information / press release from the Ministry of Sports and the FFT.

Sebastien Hourcourigaray, Sports director, to Azur Tennis Club d'Asnières asks a legitimate question on facebook:

How then can we explain that our town hall asks us to wait for the next prefectural decree?

The response of the President of the FFT:

These are the mysteries of the French administration. Many municipalities have opened on the basis of the decree and the application note from the Ministry. I have no response.

Some sports clubs did not wait for authorizations from the town hall to open. It must be said that there is great pressure from the practitioners and it is very difficult for these clubs to justify a closure when so many clubs are open.

Good luck to everyone.

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.