The European Olympic Committees (EOC) have announced that fast-growing sports, padel and teqball, have been added to the program for the third edition of the European Games, to be held in Poland in 2023.

This will be the first time that padel is included at a major multi-sporting event since the formation of the International Padel Federation (FIP) in Madrid in 1991. This sport is played in over 90 countries around the World, with the largest number of followers in Europe and South America, especially Argentina and Spain. The International Padel Federation (FIP) currently has 51 members - the National Padel Federation. Padel is a combination of tennis and squash. It is usually played in pairs on a closed, bordered court, which is the size of 1/3 of a tennis court. The ball can bounce off any wall, but it can only hit the ground once before it is returned. Points are scored when the ball is bounced twice on the opponent's court.

Teqball is a football-based sport played on a specially curved table (Teq table), teqball attracts a new generation of athletes and amateur fans known as teqers. Since the creation of teqball in 2012, Poland has organized numerous teqball competitions and the sport has proven popular throughout the country. The inclusion of teqball in the program of the European Games is another positive step forward for this fast-growing sport.

The sport follows a point-based format and can be played on a variety of surfaces such as sand, acrylic or indoors. Teqball allows players a maximum of three touches before returning the ball to an opponent, so if you can juggle a soccer ball three times, you will excel in teqball as well. Teqball is the purest use of football, with the rule that physical contact between players or between players and the table is not allowed, which helps eliminate the risk of injury. There are currently 110 national teqball federations with over 1500 clubs worldwide.

Source info and photo: www.eurolympic.org