Le Figaro Marseille
Who hasn't heard of padel?
This racket sport, halfway between tennis and squash, has been very popular in France for several years, including in Marseille.
“There is a lot of excitement around this activity, which is generating enormous demand.
More and more people, of all ages, want to try it
,” confirms Virginie, manager of the company Padel Marseille.
This demand is such that the supply of courts dedicated to the practice is today at the limit of saturation in the Marseille city, as is the case in the 11th arrondissement of the city.
“Currently, I am full all week.
Sometimes, it can take ten days to wait for my five pitches which are used from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
,” continues Virginie.
Not far from there, in the Trois-Lucs district, three completely new courts are left abandoned in the open air.
The fault lies in a quarrel which goes beyond sporting interests, according to the mayor of the 11th and 12th arrondissements, Sylvain Souvestre (LR).
“We have been working on this project since 2021. We wanted to give new impetus to padel by transforming three unused tennis courts with the agreement of the tennis league, for a total budget of 250,000 euros”
, recalls the councilor to the
Figaro
, recalling that a video surveillance system was installed and that three agents were mobilized to protect this equipment.
The three padel courts are placed under video surveillance.
Personal collection
On paper, the project has something to appeal: reservations between 8 and 14 euros for an hour and a half with pricing adapted to individuals and associations, management by the community as well as revenue sent directly to the coffers of the central town hall .
Problem: the question of pricing has been the victim for many months of a standoff between the LR sector town hall and the left-wing municipality, and which perpetually delays the opening of the courts.
“Since March 2023, I have requested a deliberation on pricing for individuals and associations from the municipal council. The City promises us that this will be put on the agenda, but from month to month, nothing has been done
,” regrets Sylvain Souvestre, emails exchanged with the central town hall in support.
Officially, these delays could be linked to these divergent points of view on pricing and management of the premises by the community.
The mayor of the 11th and 12th arrondissements, very critical of the main municipality, particularly regarding the deployment of the
“
school plan
”
in his sector, rather suspects the central town hall of organizing a
“political blockade”
as revenge.
“I have already been written to 48 hours before a municipal council meeting that my requests for deliberations were discovered.
We are in a deadlock and amateurism
,” breathes the councilor, specifying that he raised the subject with the deputy mayor of Marseille in charge of sport, Sébastien Jibrayel, the day after the last municipal council.
This story of padel is symptomatic of the inertia of this municipal majority.
Sylvain Souvestre, mayor of the 11th and 12th arrondissements of Marseille (LR)
Contacted, the latter refuted any
“blocking”
of the site with Le
Figaro
, instead citing differences over the management of sports facilities belonging to the city of Marseille.
“We are in a public service mission.
It is not the aim of our policy to make public facilities available for a fee.
"The Marseillais do not have all the means to finance an hour of padel at 8 euros each week"
, underlines Sébastien Jibrayel, recalling having recommended to Sylvain Souvestre to go through an association to manage the site like a football club or basketball.
“This would allow users to benefit from sports equipment at a lower cost, instead of 1,500 euros per year for two reservations at 8 euros per week
,” adds the sports assistant.
In the meantime, the padel courts are still waiting for their players.
“Today I cannot open land.
We cannot move forward like that, we are in sport, not in politics”
, regrets Sylvain Souvestre, arguing that
“this story of padel is symptomatic of the inertia of this municipal majority”
.