Players pay partners to boost padel rankings

Ouest-France reports players increasingly pay fellow padel competitors to secure ranking points. The practice involves selecting weaker opponents as partners to guarantee victories. Investigations reveal payments ranging from €50 to €300 per match for strategic pairings. Players target tournaments where rankings are updated weekly to maximize gains. The French Padel Federation has not commented on the practice. Padel clubs across France report rising complaints from players who refuse to engage in the system. Players named in the report include amateur competitors in Brittany and Normandy. Some admit paying €150 per match to climb rankings artificially. Ouest-France’s investigation will publish full details on its website on May 31 and in print on June 1. The federation’s ranking system relies on match results submitted by players themselves.