Padel has been the popular sport for a time now. The number of practitioners and followers is increasing, and it is increasing remarkably. The one clear objective that still needs to be fulfilled is to compete in the Olympic Games. is the biggest challenge facing our sport.
The International Padel Federation made it clear that they knew this when they launched the Premier Padel calendar. The globalization of the professional circuit, which has come under fire from some quarters, is another way to spread this discipline to as many countries as possible and move the practice closer to competing in the biggest sporting event of the world.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is a well-known face of Premier Padel and a strong supporter of its realization. Just to emphasize the efforts being made to get to Brisbane 2032, the fact that he is shown with the Olympic torch. 2028 Los Angeles is still a long way off.
In order to facilitate the process, officials of the International Olympic Committee will meet with Al-Khelaifi and FIP president Luigi Carraro.
Padel’s aspirations to reach the Olympic dream ⭐️
A proud moment for @premierpadel as Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi carried the #Paris2024 Olympic Torch in Vigneux, Paris yesterday. #PremierPadel #PadelFIP #Olympics @padelfip pic.twitter.com/OvzwRX1QdM
— Premier Padel (@premierpadel) July 23, 2024
How to add a sport to the Olympic Games
To become an Olympic sport, a number of requirements must be met. Padel tennis’s ascent gives promise while other sports, like indoor football, have long failed to achieve popularity. Nevertheless, clearing the IOC filter requires a solid foundation and is a time-consuming process.
It meets three of the four requirements: it has its own Federation, it is not a motorized sport, and it is overseen by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The last need, which is present in several nations, is now unachievable. There must be 75 Federations registered on at least four continents. There are currently 71 venues listed on the website, spread over five continents. But federations that speak for women also need to be brought up. The FIP is working toward this objective, and it looks like they are getting closer.
Alternatively, as breakdancing and surfing have done in the past, one might take part as a guest sport. The problem is that Los Angeles already has one, and Brisbane doesn’t seem like the best place for one. Although padel is not very popular in Australia, the disciplines that the organizers usually choose are those that are comparable to it.
