THE PADEL PAPER EXCLUSIVE
An astonishing claim for 25 million Euros in damages is at the heart of a power battle in padel between two competing world tours.
All the major bodies in the sport are involved in a legal fight that is being dealt with by the European Commission and other courts.
The Padel Paper can today reveal the full extent of the battle of the governing bodies being waged between WPT (World Padel Tour) and FIP (International Padel Federation), who are supported by the players’ body, PPA (Professional Padel Association).
The WPT is trying to block events organised by Premier Padel, which is governed by the FIP and funded by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
The WPT has also launched a damages claim for 25 million Euros against PPA members. It is understood that WPT had demanded a joint arbitration against all players who allegedly broke their contract with WTP by playing in the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel tournament in Doha promoted by FIP.
WTP reportedly demanded that all the actions be heard in a single case, but this week the WPT lost its first hearing as the Civil and Commercial Court of Arbitration in Madrid rejected their case procedurally, saying that WPT entered into individual agreements with players individually so they should be treated individually.
As a result, WPT will have to request more than 70 arbitrations, not one – a huge setback for them procedurally, legally and financially.
Now we can also:
- Provide a statement from Premier Padel on World Padel Tour’s latest legal filing against them.
- Share content from a letter by one of the most senior executives at the European Commission we have had sight of confirming FIP’s counter complaint of “anti-competitive” conduct from WPT.
- Reveal Paris St Germain FC president Nasser Al Khelaifi’s delight at becoming involved with Premier Padel and determination to ensure open competition in the sport to avoid a mirror row similar to the ‘Super League’ spat experienced recently in European club football.
This incredible scenario is unfolding less than two weeks after Premier Padel announced the first ‘P1’ tournament to be staged in Europe, the Madrid Premier Padel P1 taking place from August 1-6 at the WiZink Center in Spain’s capital.
The World Padel Tour, which is funded by the Estrella Damm brewery in Barcelona, has taken separate legal action against Premier Padel in a bid to prevent the tournament from going ahead.
However, this case has been thrown out by the Madrid Commercial Court for not being properly served, and the hearing which was scheduled for Friday (July 1) has been suspended.
A spokesperson for Premier Padel said:
“It would not be appropriate to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings in detail; however, the overall conduct of WPT in recent months manifestly speaks for itself.
“WPT has issued lawsuits, threats and aggressive public statements against the players, together with unprecedented €25 million damages claims.
“Now it has launched litigation against a Federation that has governed the sport of padel for 31 years. WPT seemingly justifies all these action by monopoly-maintenance arguments, which support a fully closed competition that cuts across the open European Model of Sport upheld by the European Commission and the European Parliament.
“These actions are the antithesis of responsible sports administration and any notion of supporting the global development of a sport, player freedom and welfare.
“It is also curious that an entity that has foreclosed the entire market to competition for years is now claiming unfair competition.
“We won’t merit WPT’s latest desperate actions with any further comment.”
Padel has been rife with rumours that WPT have been inserting clauses in their player contracts outlawing individuals from competing in Premier Padel competitions in order to continue on the WPT.
Now the Padel Paper can confirm that the European Commission has received an official complaint from FIP and the PPA alleging that WPT is infringing EU competition rules and engaging in “anti-competitive conduct”.
The letter from the EU official ends: “As a matter of general sports policy the Commission supports the European Model of Sport, including the principle of open competitions,” with the Commission said to be taking the matter “seriously” and engaging with both parties in a bid to resolve what is becoming an increasingly fractious matter.
These issues have brought Paris St Germain FC owner Nasser Al Khelaifi, who is also chairman of Qatar Sports Investment, into the spotlight. He is one of Premier Padel’s foremost backers, and the man instrumental in taking this month’s Paris Premier Padel Major to the Stade Roland Garros.
In a recent interview with European sports newspapers Marca and Gazzetta dello Sport, Khelaifi said: “If we have entered it is because we are sure. Premier Padel is an opportunity for everyone, for the players, the sport, the Federation, the media, to develop this sport worldwide as it deserves.
“We don’t want anything to be closed, like the Super League. It’s an open competition for the players; we don’t close the door to anyone. The conflict is the same as the Super League.”
The Padel Paper can confirm that WPT were contacted for comment but have not replied.
In March, the WPT published a lengthy statement on its website explaining the reason for taking legal action.
The WPT statement says: “The players who have participated in the tournament in Doha, despite having been warned (not threatened) beforehand, have knowingly and deliberately breached some of the essential terms in the agreed contracts.
“WPT will exercise all legal action available within the law against any disloyal and illegitimate attack.”
Full statement on the WPT website
The Premier Padel series was launched in March with the Ooredoo Qatar Major tournament in Doha following the successful staging of the FIP World Padel Championship at the same venue in November 2021. March’s event was followed by crowds of 7,000 filling the Foro Italico in Rome for the next Premier Padel tournament.
On July 11 the series moves to the Roland Garros tennis centre in Paris, and the biggest padel tournament in history is scheduled for Madrid in August, when 15,000 fans a day are expected to fill the WiZink Center.
Last week Premier Padel also announced tournaments in Argentina (August) and Monterrey, Mexico, in November-December. They also confirmed that many other major events are being scheduled.
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