Following its inauguration ceremony held today in Accra, the Professional Padel Association of Ghana (PPAOG) has been officially recognized by the National Sports Authority (NSA) as the 55th sporting federation.
The PPAOG was founded, with its main office located on Spintex Road in Accra. Since November 2022, the organization has been operating covertly and growing in strength. Padel is a racket sport that combines elements of squash and tennis on a smaller, enclosed court. It has been gaining popularity globally over the last few years.
The association currently has 700 members, including professional, amateur, and recreational players. By the end of the year, it hopes to reach 2,000 members.
Speaking to guests at the inaugural function, PPAOG President Jean Noel Saïd emphasized the organization’s dedication to advancing padel tennis in Ghana. Saïd emphasized the organization’s strategic initiatives, which encompassed building two padel courts and launching massive social media marketing campaigns to increase awareness of the sport.
“In November 2022, we brought padel to Ghana by constructing two courts and making significant investments in social media to raise awareness that Ghana is now home to the fastest-growing sport globally,” he said.
Additionally, Saïd detailed the accomplishments of programs to teach padel techniques to tennis instructors, which has led to an increasing number of padel enthusiasts around the nation. Notably, the association organized the first-ever Ghana Padel Championship last year, which included four competitions and a national ranking event to assess Ghanaian padel players.
At the same time as its launch, the PPAOG declared that the Ghana Padel Championship would begin. This multi-day event will include competitions in four categories: men P100 (pros), men P50, women P50, and a kids’ tournament.
Nour Seklaoui, vice president of the PPAOG, outlined the organization’s long-term goals, which include building a strong national team called the Golden Stars and promoting padel across the country.
In his remarks, Abdul-Majeed Bawa, Deputy Director General of the NSA, commended the PPAOG’s dedication to promoting padel in Ghana. Bawa reiterated NSA’s commitment to fund the installation of padel courts at its facilities across the country and urged the association to give priority to the education of coaches and young players.
With its founding, the PPAOG hopes to increase the profile of padel in Ghanaian sports, and this marks an important turning point in the history of sports development in the nation.
