President of the International Handball Federation: Kuwait is the world capital of the sport by hosting two international championships simultaneously

Kuwait City, Oct 31 (KUNA) -- Luigi Carrao, President of the International Padel Federation, praised Kuwait’s growing international standing in the sport of padel, describing the country as “the padel capital of the world” this week, as it hosts two major international tournaments: the Premier Padel Major and the Asia and Africa qualifiers for the Padel World Cup.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Saturday, Carrao said, “Hosting the two tournaments simultaneously represents an unprecedented achievement in the history of the sport,” commending Kuwait’s organizational standards, infrastructure, and sports facilities. He affirmed that by hosting these two events, Kuwait has demonstrated its ability to stage major competitions in accordance with the highest international standards.

Carrao added, “Kuwait is the undisputed padel capital of the world this week,” noting that no country has previously organized two tournaments of this magnitude at the same time. On this occasion, he congratulated Kuwait, the organizing body BN Group Holding, and all those involved in organizing the competitions, praising the exceptional organizational levels and Kuwait’s commitment to developing the sport.

He explained that “the International Padel Federation delegation is visiting Kuwait for the third consecutive year. With each visit, our appreciation for the country grows, particularly for the hospitality of its people, the professionalism of the organizing teams, and the quality of the facilities and accommodation.”

Carrao described Kuwait’s Premier Padel Major as the best in the world from the players’ perspective, highlighting its great popularity among fans and viewers on television, as it ranks among the most-watched tournaments of the year. He expressed his appreciation for the organizing committee and its staff, commending their outstanding efforts in coordinating two major international tournaments simultaneously.

Regarding Kuwait’s capacity to host future international events, Carrao affirmed that the country has already proven it possesses the necessary capabilities to meet the highest international organizational requirements and standards. He pointed out that hosting the Premier Padel Major alone requires significant organizational capacity, while simultaneously organizing the Asia and Africa World Cup qualifiers further demonstrates the excellence of Kuwait’s infrastructure and expertise. “Believe me, this is unique,” he stressed, emphasizing that Kuwait has the necessary organizational capabilities to ensure the success of such major sporting events.

On the development of Kuwaiti padel players, Carrao noted that he had followed matches involving Kuwaiti athletes and observed significant improvements in their performance levels. He explained that hosting international tournaments such as the Premier Padel Major will greatly contribute to raising the technical level of local players by providing them with opportunities to compete against top international players. At the same time, he stressed the importance of organizing more tournaments within the Cobra Padel Federation (PFT) Tour and the Padel Federation (PFP) Promises series to ensure the sustainable development of padel in Kuwait.

He clarified that the PFP Promises tournaments focus on developing young players and discovering promising talents who could become stars on the international scene in the next three, five, or ten years. In contrast, the Cobra PFT Tour provides players from around the world with opportunities to earn ranking points and qualify for the main stages of Premier Padel tournaments.

Kararo expressed his confidence that Kuwait possesses the organizational expertise and player standards necessary to host further competitions within these two rounds. In discussing Kuwait’s regional impact, Kararo described Kuwait and Qatar as the leading countries in developing padel across the region, particularly through the organization of major international tournaments. He praised the growing contributions of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Sultanate of Oman, while simultaneously highlighting Kuwait’s remarkable progress in attracting prestigious international events.

Kararo shed light on Kuwait’s achievements over the past three years, starting with its hosting of the P1 tournament two years ago, followed by the inaugural edition of the International Padel Federation (FIP) World Padel Tour Doubles Championship last year. He added that this year, Kuwait moved into the stage of hosting the Premier Padel Major tournament, coinciding with the Asia and Africa qualifiers for the Padel World Cup, reflecting the continued rise of its status on the international stage for the sport.

Kararo stated, “There are no limits to what Kuwait can achieve,” encouraging the country to maintain this momentum and work on strengthening its position as a leading international destination for hosting the sport. He expressed confidence that Kuwait will continue to consolidate its place among the top host nations for major padel championships worldwide, relying on its exceptional organizational standards and advanced sports infrastructure.

Regarding padel’s ambitions to join the Olympic Games, Kararo pointed to the significant progress made in expanding the sport’s presence at multi-sport international events. He noted that an agreement reached in Kuwait a year ago paved the way for padel’s inclusion in the program of the Asian Games, describing this step as a crucial milestone on the path toward achieving the sport’s Olympic aspirations.

Kararo explained that the agreement was reached in cooperation with the Olympic Council of Asia, which is headquartered and led from Kuwait. He added that padel saw success this year with the inaugural edition held in Japan, describing the event as a major success and another important step toward enhancing international recognition for the sport.

Kararo expressed optimism that continued support from countries such as Kuwait and Qatar would accelerate the development of padel and bolster its efforts to join the Olympic Games. In conclusion, Kararo reiterated his appreciation for Kuwait’s efforts, emphasizing that its achievements in hosting major international tournaments reflect its growing influence in shaping the future of padel worldwide. (End) B.B./A.M.S.