Jorge Caña, First Vice President of the International Padel Cluster (CIP), signs an article in the latest issue of Padel Cluster Magazine in which he analyzes a historic milestone for the industry: the approval of the ISO Standard proposal for padel courts.
You can read it in full below:
When last May I wrote in these same pages of Padel Cluster Magazine that, once the UNE 147201:2024 Standard had been achieved, the next step was to elevate it to an international standard for courts, I was aware that we were facing a strategic objective for the future of our industry. Today, only a few months later, I can share with great satisfaction that we have taken a major step: the official approval of the New Proposal (ISO/NP 25808), which opens the way to the future ISO international Standard for padel courts.
This is a collective achievement, the result of the collaboration of many people and the unconditional support of numerous member companies, but also of the constant work that, since the Cluster’s creation, its Board has defended with conviction: the padel industry needs global standards for its infrastructures and products, in order to consolidate itself as an international industry capable of keeping pace with the global growth of padel.
A historic vote: 20 countries in favor, none against
On May 27th, 2025, the international voting process of the New Proposal (NP) presented to ISO came to an end. The results were clear: 0 votes against, 15 abstentions y 20 votes in favor.
The project will be developed within Working Group 13 “Racket Sports” of the ISO/TC 83 Technical Committee, where in addition to Spain, five of the 20 countries (France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and China) that voted in favor have also appointed experts to actively participate in the project.
Agenda and planned timeline for the Standard
According to this agenda, the first international meeting of experts, convened by ISO/TC 83, will be held virtually on September 9th, 2025. At this meeting, the initial work plan will be presented, responsibilities will be assigned, and the first technical drafts will be scheduled.
Key topics that will shape the work agenda
The voting process was accompanied by several observations from the ISO/TC83 member countries, based on the UNE 147201:2024 Standard, which served as a reference document and first draft of the future ISO Standard. All these contributions may be relevant for the development of ISO 25808. Among the most important are:
Spanish leadership: the role of the Cluster and Juan Ramón Aparicio Lázaro
Thanks to the joint work of the Cluster with UNE, our Spanish expert, Juan Ramón Aparicio, has been appointed as Project Leader of the project to develop the new ISO 25808 Standard. This was a logical appointment, since after the initiative of the International Padel Cluster in creating the first national standard for padel courts (UNE 147201:2024), and the subsequent presentation of the new proposal to the ISO/TC 83 “Sports and other recreational facilities and equipment” committee, it was natural that a Spanish representative should lead the project.
Juan R. Aparicio, a Civil Construction Technical Engineer, International Welding Engineer (IWE) and Level 3 Non-Destructive Testing according EN-ISO-9712 in six methods of test, is director of Cibeo Tech, a consultancy specialized in technical inspection and auditing. He has been Laboratory Manager and Technical Director at SCI S.A. and has extensive experience in testing and inspection at an international level. His technical leadership and international experience will be decisive in guiding this process until the final publication of the standard.
A new internal monitoring committee within the Cluster
The Cluster will establish a specific monitoring committee for this important project, open to all member companies interested in participating in the development of the ISO 25808 Standard. This will be a working space to share progress, express concerns, and ensure that the experience of our companies is always present in every stage of development and in the final content of the standard.
Required financial investment
This path also requires a financial effort from both the Cluster and its members. For this reason, last December, the Board approved a specific budget for this project, including, fees of the Convenor, anticipated travel expenses for international ISO/TC 83 meetings and UNE services, essential to channel Spanish representation within ISO and to provide technical, documentary, and management support.
This investment must be assumed jointly by the Cluster and its members, but it is necessary to ensure the progress of the project. Its purpose is to help the padel industry gain recognition within the field of international standardization and, above all, to support our companies in their global expansion, preventing them from facing technical barriers caused by local regulations and requirements that are not properly standardized internationally.
In conclusion
The favourable vote of experts from 20 countries through their National Standardization Bodies, the leadership of Spain through the Cluster and UNE in technical coordination, and the growing involvement of our member companies through the Cluster are proof that the expansion and globalization of padel will be supported by an industry committed to quality and safety for all its products within an international standardization framework represented by ISO.
We are therefore facing a historic milestone. And it is a source of pride, as First Vice President of the Cluster and as an active part of this industry, to have contributed to opening the path towards an international standardization of padel courts.
By Jorge Caña, First Vice President of the International Padel Cluster (CIP).
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