Le Premier Padel Gijon P2 may well not take place this year under normal conditions. This first stage of the personalised tour Premier Padel in Spain is the subject of a massive boycott, unprecedented so far. The men's players decided not to participate in the tournament to protest against the new circuit guidelines, perceived as a backtrack professional padel. NO TOP 100!

The new rules of the circuit Premier Padel : “It’s shameful”

The reactions are particularly virulent. The terms "treason" et "shame" come up frequently among the players of the world top 200. Faced with a stricter regulation, especially for those located beyond the 30th place worldwide, a unprecedented solidarity was formed. The best players in the world have also decided to boycott this P2, in support of the entire circuit. “We hope that the players we are fighting for will not come to participate in this tournament,” explained players directly affected by the new system. Premier Padel… “It would be a shame.”

A historic boycott for the Premier Padel Gijón P2: NO TOP 100!

This is the general climate in the middle of the tournament in Saudi Arabia, where the climatic conditions are complicated, leading to numerous match postponements.

A very different reaction among the ladies

Surprisingly, the protest movement did not spread to players, yet they too are strongly impacted by this new regulation. A striking example: Léa Godallier, accustomed to the main board, had to go through the qualifying phases during this first stage of the season.

An ultimatum to save Gijón

To avoid a sports and media disaster, Premier Padel has extended the registration deadline until midnight tonight. In parallel, a official letter, co-signed by Luigi Carraro, president of the FIP, and David Serrahima, General Manager of Premier Padel, was sent to the players. This letter attempts to ease tensions by stating that all grievances will be heard in order to ensure a balanced development of the circuit.

Cascade withdrawals of several players in Gijón P2

FIP in the crosshairs

Yet the mistrust players towards the International Federation of Padel (FIP) continues to grow. Many professionals express their incomprehension as for the decisions of the federation, accused of having everything done to replace the World Padel Tour by Premier Padel…to finally apply similar rules.

Some players, in an ironic tone, believe that the FIP has become a mere puppet of Premier Padel, not having no real power in the management of the professional circuit. “The proof is that the FIP did not even bother to alert the players or defend their interests”, they explain. They recall that two years ago, this same federation strongly criticized the management of World Padel Tour and advocated a change in favor of the players.

A volatile situation

La FIP thus becomes the main target of criticism in the corridor discussions. But until when will this protest remain informal ? “If the FIP continues to be a straw federation, sooner or later a solution will have to be found to break its dependence on Premier Padel", warns an influential player.

À less than three hours before registration closes, No player from the world's top 100 has registered yet. Worse still, some who were initially preferred to withdraw, rather than maintaining their participation.

It remains to be seen whether the letter from Premier Padel will be enough to convince the players to reconsider their decision... Response imminent.

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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