FIP General Assembly, Carraro: “I breathed unity and enthusiasm in a magnificent atmosphere”

‘The atmosphere of this General Assembly, as well as the breath of unity and enthusiasm in the many and in some cases complex challenges in the growth process of padel. These are the best recognition of the work done by all of us, Fip and national Federations, in the last few months’. At the end of the Fip General Assembly, President Luigi Carraro was very satisfied. The group photo with the presidents of the federations from all over the world became a metaphor for that ‘breath of unity’ he just mentioned. ‘The choral vote with which the entry of eight new countries into the family of the International Federation was decided, the speeches of some representatives of the national federations, the passion with which objectives and themes were reasoned about, are reflected in what remains the common objective. We aim at spreading padel as much as possible in the world but we must pay attention – warns President Carraro – that it is not only a question of reaching the goal quickly, but of doing it in the right proportion between speed and care of every aspect’.

On the ‘how’ to get all this, Carraro has very clear ideas: ‘I have read the programmes and development plans of the countries we have just ’embraced’. It emerges the desire to create a real padelistic fabric that knows how to take care of every aspect, so as to lay a solid and lasting foundation for the expansion of our sport. We have already had examples of how “eat and go”’ can be highly unproductive for the spread of a sporting discipline. Therefore, it will be necessary to support these countries in all aspects of the growth process, indicating the path already taken with brilliant results by other federations’.

The Cupra Fip Tour remains the largest and most capillary spread vehicle at the competitive level: ‘We have 120 tournaments in 40 different countries with Equal Prize Money, which means the same prizes for men and women. Both from the point of view of the relationship with players and from that of the message, the Cupra remains our best ‘ship’ for moving around the five continents, spreading padel and keeping the protagonists of the national federations constantly in touch with each other and with the Fip’.

Then, our thoughts go out to Premier Padel, while we make our way through the courts of the Foro Italico Major: ‘Fantastic location for a wonderful tournament that has already represented a turning point. We have the best men and women players in the world with a remarkable prize money. Premier Padel, in terms of organisation and planning, is an example of a symbiosis that works and thrives in the relationship between the various organising components: Qatar Sports Investments, Ppa, Ippa and Fip’.

All this, with a goal that never ceases to be at the forefront: ‘Yes, grassroots practice. It’s the engine of everything. Without the passion of those who play padel, of those who hold the racket for the first time because their friend got them involved or because they were ‘shocked’ by a video of a champion, you go nowhere. The strongest and most powerful team in the world is in the 25 million players worldwide, as each of them is a valuable ambassador for the spread of our sport. Or better still, invaluable’.