Thierry Pham: "Sports fairness was not preserved"

Complicated padel weekend for players, clubs and FFT officials after the cancellation of the meeting the best French players and P2000 at the Mas club in Perpignan.

Thierry Pham, responsible for high level padel, also in charge of organizing the gathering of players, returns to this unfortunate episode.

Words that allow us to respond in part to About players present at the rally who find themselves in very delicate situations.

Although unfortunately we have not been able to get all the answers to our questions for the moment, one of the strong men of French padel tells us the reasons for the FFT's choices.

The debut took place ideally in Perpignan… Then on Wednesday evening, thunderclap…

« A person has tested positive for Covid-19 when the welcome meeting for participants . Fact, all the people who attended this meeting became contact cases . »

The players did not approach the Mas club. So it is risk-free?

“The rally, which took place at the hotel, was suspended from Wednesday evening before being canceled. We had to go to Mas Club that from Thursday morning . Immediately, the FFT took, in agreement with the Regional Health Agency, precautionary measures necessary when the case has been identified. It is therefore risk-free "

Have the players been quarantined?

“In accordance with the health protocol, we asked all participants to isolate themselves in their rooms.

As soon as the decision to cancel the gathering was taken in consultation with the ARS, we asked all the participants to return to their homes, respecting the barrier gestures, to get down to business. isolation for 14 days . Everyone will be again tested in a week "

The tournament players didn't have to do the tests, so we could have done the tournament?

"It is important for the FFT, in accordance with its values, to fight responsibly against the risks of contamination, in strict compliance with its health protocol, and to ensure the fairness of the tournament which would have been deprived of a large number of its competitors temporarily forced into solitary confinement. "

Why not downgrade the event since the best could not participate?

“The organization of this P2000 tournament was part of the Support and Recovery Plan. The objective was to offer the best French players to resume competition at a high level. Sports fairness was not preserved , the tournament was no longer necessary. "

Will this mishap have an impact on the future of P2000s in France? Is the Pyramids tournament maintained?

"We are always mobilized to implement the five P2000 tournaments that he remains by the end of the year, if sanitary conditions allow it. The Pyramids tournament will take place in three weeks. "

The P2000 of the Pyramides Club maintained

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.