WPT loses legal case against APT player — Oliveira to Padel Alto: ”Best choice of my life”
Portuguese Miguel Oliveira will not have to pay anything to the World Padel Tour after the player switched to the APT Padel Tour for the 2021 season. The legal battle between the parties was settled earlier this week. Padel Alto met the player in March during the ongoing process.
— We must fight to win our rights, said Miguel Oliveira then.
Miguel Oliveira was one of the players who switched to the APT Padel Tour for the 2021 season, even though he was under contract with the World Padel Tour. The WPT, in turn, sued the Portuguese. This week came the decision: World Padel Tour loses the case against Oliveira, and the player does not have to pay the money demanded by Setpoint Events (owner of the circuit).
The site Analistas Padel was the first to report the news on its social media channels.
Like many other players in the world elite, Miguel Oliviera had a contract with the World Padel Tour until the end of 2023.
”We must fight to win our rights”
The contract says that the player owes the World Padel Tour all the prize money he has received in his career multiplied by two. Setpoints Events claimed €23 662,08 from the player, plus interest rate.
Miguel Oliveira, for his part, demanded €3,087.50 from the World Padel Tour, claiming that the tour had failed to provide him with prize money. According to the player himself, the money was to be paid in early 2021 but was not paid out when the World Padel Tour realized that Oliveira would be switching to the APT Padel Tour.
Padel Alto met Miguel Oliveira in March at La Masó Sports Club in Madrid, during the ongoing legal case. Where he talked about why he switched and how he sees the upcoming situation with World Padel Tour.
— My decision was based on some problems in 2019 in the other circuit (WPT). I was Willy Lahoz's partner, and there were problems. I decided to stick with Willy. Since then, I didn't feel it was fair. At the end of 2020, I didn't feel good because I played in a circuit where the players didn’t win prize money. We must fight to win our rights and the player must be free to choose which tournament to play, said Miguel Oliveira to Padel Alto.
”Best choice of my life”
He did not regret switching from the World Padel Tour to the APT Padel Tour. Last year, he and partner Yain Melgratti won the first APT Master final in history, played in Rosario, Argentina.
— It was unclear in the beginning. But at the end of the day, it was the best choice of my life. I got much more earnings last year than in my whole career. But I feel bad about the situation and feel disappointed about being chased when I just want to play padel. he said.
The arbitral tribunal announced earlier this week that both World Padel Tour and Miguel Oliveira's claims were rejected.
The World Padel Tour has previously announced that it will demand a total of €25 million from the contracted players who choose to play Premier Padel. For their part, Premier Padel and the International Padel Federation have invoked the European Commission, claiming that the players' contracts violate EU law.
In several official statements, the men's players' association PPA has also criticized the World Padel Tour.
Padel Alto has been in contact with Miguel Oliveira after the final decision, who comments that he wants to wait a few weeks before talking.
