The world of professional padel is currently facing a period of significant tension and uncertainty. Franco Stupaczuk, ranked 5th globally and partner to Juan Lebrón, has shared his perspective on the ongoing situation through an open letter.
Stupaczuk addresses the recent player boycott of the Gijon tournament, highlighting the contractual issues and concerns about the future direction of the sport. He expresses support for the Professional Padel Association (PPA) while acknowledging the contributions of Premier Padel and the FIP (International Padel Federation).
In his letter, Stupaczuk emphasizes the need for open dialogue and collaboration between players, governing bodies, and tournament organizers to ensure the continued growth and evolution of padel. He admits to grappling with the decision to boycott Gijon, ultimately choosing to participate in the upcoming Cancun tournament with the hope that constructive conversations will lead to a resolution.
Stupaczuk’s letter reflects the complex landscape of professional padel, where players are seeking a greater voice and influence in shaping the future of their sport. His call for unity and understanding underscores the importance of finding common ground to navigate these challenges and ensure a thriving future for padel.
Translation:
Hello everyone!
Let me speak sincerely and from the heart.
The situation that padel is currently going through is very painful and worrying. We are all saddened not to have been present in Gijón, but I still want to congratulate the spectators for filling the stands and supporting the sport, both on site and via streaming.
Knowing that not everyone is necessarily aware of what is happening, I would like to present two situations that have occurred recently.
A few weeks ago, many players made the sad decision (we didn’t want to get to this point) not to register for the Gijón tournament. This was a measure to try to achieve some changes to the sporting regulations that were modified with respect to 2024 and that we consider essential for the future of our sport.
After these events, the question arose whether or not we should register for the next tournament, which will take place in Cancun next week.
I assure you that the players want to play in all the tournaments and that this situation is very delicate.
Personally, I won’t deny that I had many doubts about the right decision to make.
I greatly appreciate the Professional Padel Association (PPA), our players’ association, which fights every day for the good of the athletes and plays a fundamental role in the development of our professional careers.
However, I also want to acknowledge the effort made by Premier Padel, the FIP, sponsors, and tournament promoters, who play a key role in the international growth of our sport.
After taking all these elements into account, I freely decided not to participate in Gijón (I don’t know if it was a mistake), and now I choose to register for the Cancun tournament because I believe that this situation can be resolved through dialogue. Whether participating in Cancun is a mistake or not, I also don’t know, but it is a carefully considered decision taking all factors into account.
The reality is that we don’t know all the details of our contractual situation. That’s why I decided to consult a legal firm to analyze the situation. They sent me a detailed report advising me to participate in upcoming tournaments due to the legal, civil, commercial, and sporting risks that not doing so could entail, as well as the personal economic and financial consequences that could result.
I have shared this recommendation with other players so that they have all the necessary information and can make the decision they deem most appropriate.
In addition, the FIP and Premier Padel sent us a signed letter proposing to sit down with us to negotiate and try to reach an agreement. I think it is an important step, and I have taken it into account as well.
I fully respect all the players who decided not to register for the Cancun tournament. But I also ask that my decision and that of Juan to participate are respected.
I assure you that we are not seeking, in any case, to gain a sporting advantage from this situation. On the contrary, if in the future it is decided that Cancun is not a tournament counting for the ranking, we will accept it. Or if we have to, later, give up playing a P2 tournament to allow other players to recover the points they could not obtain in Mexico, we will do so.
This is not about points or prize money; it is about a decision made for much deeper reasons.
Public, promoters, players, organizations, etc.: please, we are a young sport with enormous potential, but we must continue to build it together. We must continue our efforts to find a path of coexistence that allows padel to become universal and Olympic.
Let’s solve this TOGETHER.
