In a shocking development it has been revealed that the International Tennis Federation is planning to vote on their right to annex padel and become the fledgling sport’s global governing body.
The move is sure to meet opposition from across the sport of padel – including the International Padel Federation, the players, national federations; perhaps even from within the ITF itself, with some ITF members concerned about the blatant power grab at a time when tennis itself is plagued by other issues.
The Padel Paper has been passed copies of key parts of the ITF’s AGM agenda, due to be held in Glasgow on Monday, which provide concrete proof that they intend to position themselves as padel’s sole governing body and arbiter.
The man behind this astonishing manoeuvre is under-pressure ITF president David Haggerty, who is desperate to source fresh revenue streams in the face of falling attendances – as witnessed at the recent WTA Tour Finals and in this week’s Billie Jean King Cup, which at times has been barely half-full.
The current demise of men’s tennis ‘big four’ has seen Roger Federer lost to retirement, Rafa Nadal’s body in break-up, and Andy Murray consigned to the also-rans – while Novak Djokovic’s anti-vax stance has left the Serb as persona non grata in two of the Grand Slams thus consigning the men’s game to a future without a blue-chip hero with global sports and corporate appeal.
Although padel has also suffered its own ‘War of the Tours’ between the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel, the dispute pales into insignificance when compared with the imminent attempt by Haggerty to annex padel in order to shore up his own creaking regime.
Several national tennis associations – such as the French Tennis Federation, the Italian Tennis Federation, and the LTA – are already the national sanctioning organisations for padel, which is believed to be the inspiration for the ITF’s ambitions. However, these federations have always had the International Padel Federation as the global governing body.
It is also believed that a number of national tennis federations are strongly opposed to the resolutions.
In the agenda for the ITF’s Annual General Meeting – obtained by The Padel Paper – it states in the Articles of Association section 28A:
‘The ITF may develop new disciplines or variations of tennis. Formal adoption of any new tennis discipline or variation shall require a two-thirds majority resolution of council prior to formal adoption.
The ITF may take preliminary and preparatory action as it considers necessary in the best interests of the ITF, its members, and the sport of tennis.’
Furthermore, under the section ‘The ITF’s Plan for Padel’, the following is stated:
‘Upon including padel within its scope the ITF would have the mandate from the ITF members to act as the global governing body with the general objectives of harmonisation of sporting rules, fostering the growth and development of padel, advancing padel’s interests and promoting its integrity and passion.’
The content of the agenda is surprising not only because of the ITF’s sense of entitlement but also their ignorance – given the huge success of the Premier Padel P1 circuit which has created elite events in Rome’s Foro Italico, Paris’s Stade Roland-Garros, and more recently in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
By contrast, latest statistics from the world of tennis point to:
• Dwindling participation at all levels
• Viewing figures in decline and poor attendances at events – as witnessed at the WTA Tour Finals last week
• The Davis Cup compromised by a poorly-thought-out new format which has turned an historic and much-loved tournament into a minor event
• Disastrous decline in sponsorship revenues
Following the leaking of the ITF’s agenda it is understood there is opposition not only from padel federations but also some national governing bodies within tennis.
The news is also now understood to have circulated within the PPA (Professional Players Association) who an insider has revealed are “incandescent” at the lack of respect they have been shown as elite athletes of another established professional sport.
An element of farce has been added to proceedings as Haggerty’s position is believed to rely heavily on an argument first proffered six months ago that as tennis and padel have similar balls there necessarily should be one body to run both sports.
But now The Padel Paper can exclusively reveal the opening paragraph of a legal letter already sent to Haggerty ahead of Monday’s meeting from the International Padel Federation:
“Dear Mr. Haggerty, dear Board Members, Following the publication of the ITF AGM Agenda, to be held on 14 November 2022, containing a proposal to amend the ITF Constitution with a view of “broadening the ITF’s scope to develop and govern padel on behalf of its members”.
I have been instructed by the International Padel Federation (FIP) and by several national federations that belong both to the ITF and the FIP to take all legal actions/measures aimed at preserving the interest of FIP as the only legitimate sport federation governing the sport of padel.”
The letter also demands that confirmation is produced that ITF will withdraw the proposed resolution from the agenda of the AGM by November 14 – something that has not yet happened.
In an increasingly greedy world where sport offers an escape, this blatant act of bullying has provided an eerie parallel to the situation between Ukraine and Russia.
But if one thing it is sure, these are only the opening shots. The highest European sports court – CAS – is likely to be engaged. And, ultimately, jobs may be on the line at the ITF, given the scale of the opposition before even a vote has been cast.
The LTA’s stance is at present unknown and comment is being sought.
