Chaos in Austria's padel scene: APU blocks the women's national team
The padel sport is growing and growing. Internationally as well as in Austria, however, there are trench warfare between different associations. The padel players in Austria are suffering.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 16, 2022, 08:42 am
Yesterday and the day before yesterday the Austrian Padel Championships took place in La Ville in Vienna, organized by the Austrian Padel Association (ÖPV). All players who are athletically qualified were allowed to compete. Actually a matter of course. But: From 02. - 04.09. the Austrian Championships of the Austrian Padel Union (APU) will be held. While all players are welcome at the public transport championships, the APU has now had a bang: the women's national team has been excluded from the title fights! This means that six of the top 10 women are not eligible to play. Only one of the teams that were successful last year can start.
How did this ban come about? After years of international absence, some of the top players have decided to play the qualifiers for the Padel World Championships. Austria should also be internationally present in women's padel sport. Since this is only possible via the World Padel Federation (FIP) and ÖPV is a member of FIP, this must be organized by ÖPV. In order to get a position determination, the public transport, in cooperation with the neighboring associations, organized a country fight Germany (No. 8 in the FIP country ranking) - Austria - Switzerland on the grounds of the TC Blauweiß Feldkirch. The Austrian women did well, even if the two games were lost 1/2. On the second day there was another tournament in which the three strongest couples from the three countries were allowed to start. Here, the top Austrian couple took the excellent third place.
The joy was short-lived, and he was immediately suspended from the Austrian APU Championships. Even the substitutes not used in the international match were banned. Reason: The public transport was represented in a - albeit unofficial - competition. The APU is also aware that international participation is only possible with a FIP license by public transport. In the summer of last year, the former ranking list leaders and APU masterminds Christoph Krenn and David Alten received a FIP license via public transport at their request in order to be able to play some international tournaments.
Targeted action against a small group?
There is no passage in the statutes of the APU that forbids Austrian women to take part in international competitions. And since the APU cannot offer this, you have to buy a public transport license.
What is exciting about the lock is that it appears to be a targeted action against a small group. Others are spared from these actions. Member clubs of the APU have organized tournaments of the ÖPV SLAM TOUR without consequences, a large number of the top players of the APU have been playing the ÖPV tournaments for a long time, also without consequences.
The tournament rights were also withdrawn from the TC BW Feldkirch by the APU. The system was made available for an international competition organized by public transport. These rights are also to be withdrawn from TC Hard if it organizes the planned FIP tournament in August.
Instead of being happy about commitment and commitment as well as further development in the Austrian padel sport, there are actions that are difficult for padel players to understand. And which may slow down the boom in the sport, which is still young in Austria.