In an unfortunate turn of events for Italian water polo, CS Plebiscito Padova has been suspended from European Aquatics water polo competitions for the 2024/2025 season. The Women’s Champions League club has been barred from further participation after failing to meet European Aquatics’ financial requirements.
European Aquatics announced that Padova’s suspension stems from non-compliance with the organization’s financial regulations, specifically citing breaches of articles 13.4.3 and 14.1 in the Club Competitions regulations. This move means that every upcoming match involving Plebiscito Padova will be recorded as a 10-0 forfeit loss in favor of their opponents, underscoring the seriousness of the organization’s stance on regulation enforcement.
European Aquatics expressed regret over the need for such action but emphasized the importance of fairness to clubs that do uphold all financial and administrative requirements. According to the organization, numerous opportunities were extended to Padova to resolve the situation, all without a successful resolution.
However, it’s disappointing to see European Aquatics enforce strict financial penalties while failing to address a significant issue within water polo: unpaid player salaries. While clubs are sanctioned swiftly for outstanding participation fees, there is little evidence of similar urgency when it comes to protecting players from clubs that do not meet payroll commitments.
This disparity raises questions about the priorities governing the sport and what steps European Aquatics could take to ensure that both clubs and players are fairly protected under these regulations. We can only hope that European Aquatics takes future action to ensure financial accountability that extends beyond administrative fees and into safeguarding player welfare.
