Padel Alto´s expert on the conflict: ”The current players will write themselves into the history of padel”
All the top players on the men's side are entered into the first-ever FIP tournament backed by QSI and PPA. Even though heavy fines could be issued by the World Padel Tour, the tour where players are contracted until the end of 2023. Padel Alto's expert Mauri Andrini gives his take on the situation.
— The current players will write themselves into the history of padel, he says.
According to Mauri Andrini, the former World Padel Tour player and Padel Alto's expert, an initial meeting of the top 16 players was held in Valencia last year.
Then, what is today the Professional Players Association (PPA) began to form.
— I believe that there is no conflict here. I see it as an opportunity. It is a growth of padel in general and a solution to a claim that the players have made for a long time. The current players will write themselves into the history of padel, Mauri Andrini says.The conflict between the World Padel Tour and the FIP, backed by Qatar Sports Investment and the PPA, has been ongoing since the World Cup and has intensified lately.
”The players will take the risk.”
The World Padel Tour has threatened a fine of 500-thousand euros to those participating in the FIP tournament, citing breach of contract as the players have contracts with the WPT until the end of 2023 and have frozen all FIP points previously included in the World Padel Tour ranking system.
— It is unclear how they will solve this problem. The contract with WPT says that players couldn't participate in other tournaments. The players will take the risk. I believe that this risk has already been calculated, and in case the WPT decides to take action, the players will be supported by the FIP and the new circuit, says Mauri Andrini.
FIP and PPA, on their side, have claimed that the contracts between the World Padel Tour and the players are in breach of EU law and have filed an application with the European Commission against the WPT.
— What happened with the QSI-FIP offer is that the needs of the players as a whole have been heard, the players will gain the relevance that they deserve for being at the top in a sport of the importance of padel, Mauri Andrini says.
He continues:
— Today, only the players within the top 30 can live solely from playing padel. The rest give classes or look for alternatives to cover their expenses. The PPA's opportunity with this offer is to make padel more professional, protected by an international federation, and not only managed by a private company, Mauri Andrini says and refers to Setpoint Events and the Estrella group which owns World Padel Tour.
”Too many tournaments”
The concurrent World Padel Tour and FIPs tour (the name is not yet presented) contribute to a full schedule with many more competitions than players are used to. This year alone, 34 tournaments will be played. Since it's already March, that means almost one tournament a week.
— I would say that it´s too many, he says,
This will last for two years until the players' contracts with the World Padel Tour expire. The question is how the busy schedule will affect padel.
— I think that from this year, the sport will become “younger.” This means that the younger players, without having the experience or the level of the older players, will end up catching up with them. I think this phenomenon will be a little less perceptible in women since physical power is a less important component in feminine padel, Mauri Andrini says.
