JACK BINSTEAD

The UK’s leading wheelchair padel player has a pragmatic view on improving inclusiveness and accessibility – “if someone wants to play, they should find a way”

Interview

I fell in love with the sport straight away

As padel continues its rapid rise across the UK, questions around accessibility, inclusion and opportunity are increasingly shaping the sport’s development. Few voices in this conversation are as direct, or as optimistic, as Jack Binstead, widely regarded as Great Britain’s leading wheelchair padel player and a passionate advocate for growing the adaptive game. A former actor and lifelong wheelchair user, Binstead discovered padel almost by chance. Today, he is not only competing internationally and coaching full-time, but also helping to build a pathway for future players through the Inclusive Padel Tour and wider UK initiatives. His outlook is refreshingly simple: rather than focusing on barriers, he encourages disabled players to engage with the sport immediately – to “get out there and do it”.

For operators, governing bodies and investors navigating padel’s growth, Binstead’s perspective offers a grounded view of both the sport’s accessibility challenges and its significant opportunities.

Discovering a new sporting passion

Binstead’s sporting journey began long before padel entered the picture. He competed as a wheelchair racer for many years, representing Team GB pathways, before exploring strength training and powerlifting. Alongside sport, he built a successful career in acting and comedy, starring as Rem Dogg in BBC Three’s Bad Education.

Padel entered Binstead’s life through a personal connection. A friend working as a coach at Rocks Lane Padel in Chiswick encouraged him to try the sport, recognising his strong chair mobility and hand-eye coordination.

The impact was immediate. “I fell in love with the sport straight away,” Binstead explains. “Even if it was just for health, I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing.”

Within weeks of playing regularly, he noticed something striking: there were virtually no wheelchair players participating seriously in the UK. Seeing an opportunity to grow the game, he began training intensively and working with coaches, supported by sponsorship that funded a year of development.

His progress quickly attracted international attention. After sharing videos online, Binstead was invited to compete abroad by the Inclusive Padel Tour, exposing him to a much more developed adaptive scene than existed in Britain at the time.

“That’s when it became a mission,” he says. “To find other wheelchair users in the UK who wanted to give padel a go.”

Through outreach, networking and coaching, a small but committed community has since emerged, with several players continuing to compete domestically and internationally.

There’s zero doubt in my mind. If a Paralympic team is built, I’ll compete and I’ll get a medal

From participant to pioneer

Padel is now central to Binstead’s professional life. He has spent the past two years working as a coach and currently manages padel operations at a London venue, delivering coaching programmes and building participation.

Beyond coaching, his ambitions are far-reaching. He wants to see padel recognised as a Paralympic sport and ultimately hopes to help establish a formal Team GB pathway.

His long-term target aligns with wider international ambitions for the sport, though he recognises the structural work required – particularly around funding, governance and participation numbers.

“There’s zero doubt in my mind,” he says. “If a Paralympic team is built, I’ll compete and I’ll get a medal.”

For now, much of the adaptive game remains self-funded, placing significant pressure on players seeking to compete internationally. Binstead argues that earlier investment from sponsors and governing bodies would accelerate development and create stronger long-term returns for stakeholders.

A pragmatic view on accessibility

As padel infrastructure expands rapidly across Britain, accessibility in facility design remains a frequent topic of debate. Here, Binstead’s views differ from many in the disability sport community.

While he supports improvements, such as wider court entrances and better facilities, he takes a notably pragmatic stance. Padel, he says, was not originally designed with wheelchair players in mind. For him, the focus should be on participation first and structural change second.

“I don’t believe in ‘no access’,” he explains. “I believe in trying a bit harder.”

Binstead says his philosophy is rooted in personal experience. “My view is to go, ‘right, this is my situation’,” he says. “These are my cards and I’m going to get ahead of the game and make my life better by doing something.”

Drawing on personal experience – navigating public transport and everyday environments as a wheelchair user – Binstead emphasises resilience and adaptability. If minor adjustments, such as removing a wheel or adjusting entry angles, enable participation, he believes players should embrace those challenges while the sport evolves.

He is eager to stress that this perspective, however, does not dismiss accessibility improvements. He welcomes innovations in court design and supports discussions around minimum access standards, particularly through national governance frameworks such as The LTA. However, he also highlights commercial realities for operators.

“With relatively few wheelchair players currently active in the UK, large-scale infrastructure investment remains difficult for venues to justify without clear regulatory requirements or growing demand,” he says. “So my message to anyone – disabled or not – is that if you want to play, find a way!”

For operators, his message is straightforward: as the sport grows, improving access where feasible is becoming increasingly valuable. “Participation growth will, ultimately, drive change,” he says. “And the operators who get there first with accessible venues will have a huge advantage.”

The role of facilities and operators

Binstead acknowledges that some UK venues are already taking meaningful steps. Clubs built with accessibility in mind – including accessible changing facilities, level access and wider entry points – demonstrate what future design standards could look like.

However, he believes the most effective route to widespread change would be clear regulatory guidance from governing bodies, supported by enforceable standards for new developments.

Until such frameworks are consistently applied, progress is likely to remain uneven, shaped by commercial priorities and market demand.

At the same time, Binstead stresses that padel’s appeal itself is not a barrier to wheelchair participation. The sport’s shorter rallies, smaller courts and social format make it highly accessible from a gameplay perspective.

“The excitement and enticement of padel doesn’t exclude wheelchair users,” he says. “It’s as exciting for someone in a chair as it is for anyone else.”

Inclusive Padel Tour & community growth

A major driver of adaptive padel’s development is the Inclusive Padel Tour (IPT), which provides competitive opportunities and visibility for players with disabilities. Binstead has been actively involved in the tour, competing internationally and helping to raise awareness of wheelchair padel in the UK.

The tour’s expansion into Britain represents a significant milestone, creating structured competition pathways and encouraging grassroots engagement. Alongside this, new domestic initiatives – including inclusive events, training sessions and community outreach – are beginning to strengthen participation. Binstead has supported efforts led by fellow players and organisers to introduce inclusive sessions at UK clubs, helping new participants access coaching and competition.

For him, the objective is clear: build a visible, supportive community that proves wheelchair padel is both viable and sustainable.

The objective is clear: build a visible, supportive community that proves wheelchair padel is both viable and sustainable

Padel’s growth and future challenges

Binstead’s insights extend beyond accessibility to the wider economics of the sport. He has witnessed the rapid growth of UK padel participation, fuelled largely by social media exposure and word-of-mouth enthusiasm. He believes the sport’s accessibility for beginners and families has been central to its expansion. However, he also anticipates rising costs could eventually limit participation, potentially shifting padel towards a more premium market position.

“Court hire, equipment costs and coaching fees are all increasing as demand grows and facilities expand,” he says. “It reflects commercial maturity, but also raises questions about long-term affordability and accessibility – both for disabled and non-disabled players.

“I think that, for operators, the challenge will be balancing commercial sustainability with broad participation.”

A message to the industry — and future players

Throughout the conversation, Binstead’s underlying message remains consistent: participation drives progress. Infrastructure, investment and governance will follow engagement.

“I would encourage any disabled individuals interested in padel to take the first step, reach out to the growing community and experience the sport for themselves,” he says.

At the same time, he calls on sponsors, investors and operators to support adaptive players earlier in their journeys – not only as a social responsibility but as a strategic opportunity within one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.

A catalyst for inclusive growth

As the UK padel sector continues to scale, accessibility and inclusivity will remain central to its long-term success. Binstead represents a powerful example of how individual drive, community support and industry collaboration can shape emerging pathways.

His vision is not defined by limitations but by momentum — building participation, strengthening competition and ultimately securing recognition for adaptive padel on the global stage.

For a sport still defining its identity in Britain, that mindset may prove one of its most valuable assets.