After the first part of our interview with the President of the International Federation, in which he took stock of the first year of his Board at the head of the governing body of the paddle worldwide, it is time to address many of the issues of the news of this sport.
Padel World Press .- What do you think about the long-awaited growth of padel in the United States? What are the current relationships with the FEP? What do you think of the recent constitution of the European Federation? Will there be a new team for the next World Cups? What do you think about all the controversy surrounding the Professional Circuit?
All these questions and many more will have your answer in an interview that you should not miss.
There is a lot of talk about the growth of padel in the United States. If this sport triumphs in that country, would it be a great impulse for its expansion throughout the world?
When there is a lot of talk about a certain topic, expectations grow and there are times when expectations exceed real possibilities. The growth of a particular sport in the United States is linked to a common interest, such as international development. The United States has, by culture, a way of interpreting sport as a great marketing project. The American is identified with the SuperBowl, the NBA, the Hockey, the Baseball, the Fitness, the Tennis. The recent Olympic Winter Games were a clear example of how the Americans played each sporting event, especially in the SnowBoard and the FreeStyle, and how much they can communicate through the video. The players are idols and the country 'stops' when there is a major sporting event. They talk about it from the Presidents to the last one that has arrived. The attention given to it by the media, TV, websites, App, etc., means that if something comes to success in the United States, there is a good chance that it will be given a lot of attention in other parts of the world.
Therefore, I have no doubt that a good penetration of padel in the United States would have a great impact on the rest of the world and, above all, on those who see them as a point of reference. On the other hand, we must also think about the Sports Institutions and, just in that, the United States is not an example. The type of sports organization is different from European and other American countries. There is a very large weight of professional leagues, and then you 'jump' to the Olympic Committee, which has an organization based on its technicians rather than on its federations. To finish, from the point of view of marketing, I hope that the United States is a good platform. Everything contributes but that will not guarantee the expansion in the whole world as we interpret it in the FIP, which is the philosophy of the padel organized through the institutions and not the free paddle.
Today, the United States has an Association ... What is missing for them to form a Federation?
What is called Association, Association, Federation or Confederation depends on the political and regulatory organization in the field of sport in each country. We do not care at all as to name, if Association, Federation or, as it was originally called in Spain, Grouping. The important thing is that it works and represents our sport throughout the country and, for that, it will be the governing body that will also indicate the best or most appropriate denomination. In Argentina, our Associate Member is called Asociación Padel Argentino and nobody discusses it. I also think that the 'A' in NBA means Association ... Does anyone argue that they are the reference point for basketball?
Speaking of Federations ... A few months ago the European Federation of Padel was born, an organization that you do not recognize as official. Have you heard from the statement you published? What would be the logical steps to follow? Why is an institution of that type born, bypassing the regulations of the FIP?
The issue was discussed at the Ordinary General Assembly of the FIP held in Buenos Aires, the 31 of October of 2013. Recently, a letter has been sent to Associate Members, where the position of the International Federation in this regard is definitively established. An extensive press release has also been sent to the media and, therefore, the position of the Board of Directors and most of the Associate Members is made public.
We have not received any additional communication to what is already known and disclosed. We would like to think that the promoters will accept our suggestion and call a new constituent act. That would be logical and what the IFJ has proposed and expects to happen.
I believe that it is a duty of each Associate Member to know perfectly the Statutes and Regulations of the International Federation to which they are affiliated, therefore I am certain that this has been the case with the FEP and the FPT. The new Statutes have yet to be metabolized, which is the same for all Associate Members who have not participated in the management of the submitted amendments, but that does not change the concept at all. The IFJ was before and is now, with old or new status, favorable to the birth of Regional Federations, including Continental. It is available to contribute to its formation if there are a series of conditions and a certain number of Associate Members who request it. What we can not do is force its constitution or automatically recognize an institution that is born with the serious lack of style and merit that it had.
And, an obligatory question ... How are the relations between the FIP and the Spanish Paddle Federation today?
Limited to the formal needs of both, unfortunately. And I say regrettably since the FIP needs the contribution, the driving force and the daily and positive contact of all of its Associate Members.
I imagine that one of the hardest moments you have had to live in front of the FIP was knowing the decision of the players not to go to the Bilbao World Cup… When did you receive the news and what do you think of that decision?
The news was received by the FIP through the Organizing Committee, which was informed of a meeting and the imminent release of an Official Statement to the Players and then also to the Players. It was a topic that we had talked about several times and we knew that the legal subject that has the contract with the FIP for four editions (two have already been played) complicated the participation of some players. We were aware that there were things pending between them that the IFJ does not know in depth and that they do not involve it. We tried by all means to explain that it was an institutional event of Federation, an Official Championship that assigned the title of World Champion of the FIP, with the support of the Federation of the host country in terms of sports organization and arbitration team, with independence of installing the track and hiring hostesses Hugo, Paco or Luis ... But it was not understood.
On our part, there was no problem. The paddle keeps advancing. The event was magnificent and had a multiple participation of National Federations (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Mexico, United States, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Germany, Italy). That motivated us to be satisfied with the FIP because we have achieved one of our objectives: to offer everyone the possibility of participating in a great event. As I stated in the opening press conference of the Bilbao Open World 2013, "the one that is not, is wrong". I still think the same.
As the next World Cups are also transferred to PPT, will there still be a team of professional players?
It is a circumstance that we know will influence but that we can not change since the FIP. The next events will be similar to those of Bilbao and Barcelona; that is, officers who will assign an important title: World Champion. I think that players (some) will understand that. I think they will understand that inside the court they will be playing, that they will be, in a chair, the coach chosen by them or them, that the referee will be an official judge of a Federation, that the Director of the Tournament will be decided by the FIP , that the cup will be given by me, that who invited them has been their own Federation and that they themselves have earned that right to be present for occupying a certain position in the official ranking ... All this should be much more important than who pays the driver of the car that went to look for them at the hotel, who gives them the tickets to eat or what was the company that managed to coagulate a group of sponsors that financially support the event ... It should be thought like that but not everyone is the same.
Now, one of the most current issues is the future of the Professional Circuit… From the FIP, what do you think of this whole matter? Could your institution act as a mediator?
The doors of the FIP are always open. My availability and that of the members of the Board of Directors is full and demonstrable on each occasion when we have been asked to meet to talk. Having an important International Circuit is also an objective of the FIP and, therefore, if a balance were achieved between the needs of each other, it would be a good opportunity that would also give satisfaction to everyone.
"One another". I do not want it to be interpreted as a derogatory term since it involves the FIP, Associate Members, players, event organizers, sponsors and the media. Now, in order for this project to be able to move forward, it is necessary to be very flexible, very positive, to have a good vision of the future in the medium and long term, as well as a truly international vocation.
Some behaviors seem to indicate that the immediate solution is sought and not in the long term, at the same time that the international projection is a wish or a slogan, but that is not pursued effectively. I repeat, 'they seem' to indicate because it is something of which I do not have the certainty.
From the FIP we launched once again this challenge, that of trying to involve all the forces available to reach a common goal, respecting the roles and preserving the interests of each one, but, of course, seeking to achieve, step by step, the creation of an International Circuit that is possible, now, and that grows as it is fundamental that it happens, but always on solid institutional bases that give the guarantee of continuity that we all need.
The constant confrontations between Federations, Circuits,… Are they not very harmful for our sport?
Of course. But the Federations and the Circuits are represented and organized by 'people' and we already know that the human is a being declared to the battle. It should deprive common sense and, in the answers to some previous questions, my augury is that some behaviors and positions can be revised and changed for the good of our sport.
In the FIP, our 'battles' are the meetings of the Board of Directors and I can assure you that they are very exciting. All the members want to participate because, with our way of thinking and acting, we have managed to apply what I just said ... If we add and contribute, we all win! Never lose anyone and our sport is always favored. If you talk and discuss, even if it is energetically but with respect, you can be sure that the best possible solution will be reached.
Already focused on the future… What are the next challenges and challenges that you have set for yourself from the IFJ?
Each of the members of the Board of Directors has theirs and, together, we have many objectives that we would all like to fulfill. Surely one will be to prepare an Assembly that allows the analysis of a new Technical Regulation. The one we have has been used for many years, patched and modified many times but is not adequate to current demands. The same should indicate better than right now what the official competitions will be like, especially the World Cups for Teams of the Elderly and Children. It would also have to set in an annex the conditions of participation (economic and sports) and the conditions of the organizer (economic and infrastructural). It should be an incentive or invitation to show interest in organizing. From there, it will be possible to aspire to receive a greater number of candidacies and to establish the methods of election and assignment.
Another very important issue is to achieve a greater number of competitions in the International Circuit. We are working on a project presented by the Argentine Padel Association, which could allow a greater number of tests than those that are part of the current calendar. To achieve this, very few adjustments and conditions would be needed by the National Federations.
This year is even and, therefore, we will have the Absolute World Championship for Teams and National Teams. I am sure it will be an excellent Championship, which will be held in Spain in October ... But we have to work for next year, therefore we should start thinking about the conditions so that continuity is favored and in the next Assembly we can assign the headquarters of the 2015 World Junior Championship. We will also have the 2015 Open World Championship in Miami.
In turn, it will be necessary to gather the documents for the presentation to SportAccord. In March we started the preparation of the folders. We know that this will be a great bureaucratic work but that it could be fundamental for our international institutional strengthening. On the other hand, the Development Projects of the FIP will be launched, which are timely and necessary because it is normal for every International Federation to execute them. These projects will be a very useful instrument to receive some funds that would allow us to do more things or, simply, in the future to reduce the membership fees of the Associated National Federations.
Given its growth and evolution, and from your experience, what do you expect from the future of paddle tennis?
Greater institutional awareness May we all be united for the common good and that, under a single umbrella, we can give strength to the development of our sport. We have to make the padel does not depend on the people but depends on the reliability of the projects and the federative structure.
What message would you like to send to all fans of this great sport?
That they look for us whenever they need us, that they support us in our initiatives, that they show us interest and curiosity and that they indicate new needs and projects ... That they never stop learning, that they play and compete but that they also dedicate a little bit of time to own club, to the own sport association, to the Association or Regional or National Federation, so that the work of the leaders is more shared.
I would tell them to never stop thinking positively or to talk to everyone they meet so that the forces join and achieve ever higher and higher goals, always in favor of the whole environment that surrounds us.
That they win many games, because it will mean that they play a lot of paddle tennis… For those who lose, who train more, take courses or look for someone to help them play better. In this way we will have filled out the courts, we will have given a hand to those who work and we will have discovered that we can always improve to beat our friend and then, after the game, share a pizza and a beer ... What he pays because today he lost.
Good paddle for everyone!
Thank you very much as always, Daniel, and good luck in all the projects launched by the IFJ.
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