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World Padel Tour

World Padel Tour: ”We will exercise all the legal actions"

ANNONS

The tense situation between the WPT and the players has a new chapter. The circuit has published an official statement on its website. It explains the reasons why it has decided to send the letter to the players before the Vigo Open, as well as warning that it will take legal action to defend its interests.

Before the beginning of the WPT Vigo Open, the players received an individual communication from the WPT circuit, warning that if they participated in the Premier Padel tournament, they would receive fines worth 25 million euros.

 Despite this, the players have decided to confirm their participation in the FIP-driven circuit, and most (if not all) have travelled to Doha to compete in the first tournament of the season.

 This has led today, for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, WPT to make an open announcement on the matter. In an official statement, released on their website, they explained the reasons why WPT have decided to begin suing the players and added that they have not threatened the players, they have only "warned" them.

 

Here is the full statement from WPT:

In view of the participation of some players under contract with World Padel Tour, in a padel tournament organized by the International Padel Federation (FIP) and Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in Doha, coinciding with a Challenger event of the professional circuit, WPT wishes to state the following:

1. In order to preserve the image of the Circuit and that of all the professional players who participate in it, World Padel Tour has so far maintained a prudent silence, trusting that all players would finally comply with the contracts signed, and this despite the false, erroneous or interested news and information that have been spread in recent weeks.

2. World Padel Tour has scrupulously fulfilled its contractual commitments with all players who signed, freely and voluntarily, the contracts for the provision of professional services in 2018 and whose term ends on December 31st, 2023.

3. As regards the 2024 seasons onwards, World Padel Tour maintains its contract renewal proposal presented to the players in 2021 and which, among many other aspects, contemplates an update of the current value of the prizes with increases that would multiply by 3 (Open) and by 5 (Masters) from this same year.

4. The players participating in the Doha tournament, despite being previously warned (not threatened), have knowingly and deliberately breached some of the agreed essential terms of their contracts, for which a pretext has been sought, allegedly based on Community law, which is unfounded. It goes without saying that the commitments acquired are mandatory for both parties, players and organization, and are not at the whim of one of them and, therefore, WPT has exercised the appropriate legal actions provided for and established in the contracts signed. These actions seek the fulfilment of what has been agreed and the compensation for the damages caused. It has neither requested nor threatened the imposition of any fine.

5. The behaviour of some of the professional players has not occurred either spontaneously or in isolation. It has been orchestrated with the participation, planning, coordination and financing of private entities and organizations, some of which, supposedly, are not for profit, and should maintain strict neutrality for the benefit and in the interest of the sport they claim to defend.

6. WPT will exercise all the legal actions that are appropriate in Law against any unfair and illegitimate attack, wherever it comes from, in order to defend its reputation, its rights and the value of the WPT Circuit, as well as the interests of the professional players, promoters and venues, including the claim of all damages caused.

7. In this context, it is appropriate to recall that, today, World Padel Tour:

- is a brand that enjoys worldwide recognition and prestige. It is a highly competitive professional Circuit, which has been able to double the number of tournaments (from 15 to 33) from 2014 to 2022.

- It led the internationalization of padel, going from 2 tournaments (out of 15) held outside Spain in 2014 to 16 (out of 33) in 2022.

- has equalized the value of prizes between men and women, being the first professional sports competition to do so. The remaining two years of the current contract will have the same remuneration.

- has brought television to the world of padel for the first time in its history through Gol TV. Today it has increased its international television coverage and this year WPT will be seen in more than 120 countries around the world thanks to agreements with world-class broadcasters such as Movistar (Spain), Sky (Italy), Canal Plus (Europe and Africa), Nent (Nordic countries), Direct TV (Latam), Zapping (Chile), Ziggo (Holland) and Telenet (Belgium). In addition, with the objective to be closer to fans around the world, it created WPT TV.

- has boosted innovation in the world of padel: more panoramic center courts, grass of maximum quality without sand, and safer for the players, fast ball to have more dynamic games, implementation of the "golden point", a decision imitated today by all, including the FIP itself.

- has invested in human capital, creating a solid, experienced and solvent team of professionals that has been one of the great architects of the Circuit's success.

- has taken courageous decisions such as playing in the middle of the pandemic and organizing 11 events in 6 months, assuming a serious economic deterioration to guarantee the spectacle to the fans and not to stop the growth of the sport.

- has achieved, in just five years, that WPT professional players have significantly multiplied their income, in some cases up to 10 times, which WPT is very pleased with.

 

8. Finally, WPT is grateful for the unconditional support of the promoters and main brands that make up the padel industry; and ratify its intention and desire to reach an understanding with the players' collective, that allows to endorse and consolidate the growth in the coming years.

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