It is precisely about finding its space in India that is now already involved in the administrative lawn war after the recently created Indian Association for Pickleball (IPA) Status of the National Federation, which provokes much older India Pickleball Association (AIPA) to raise objections and endanger legal steps.
The decision to grant IPA recognition was taken on April 25, which caused it to be eligible for financial grants and autonomy, promote and develop sport at national level.
“IPA was recognized by the Ministry after the authority’s representation a few days ago,” said the PTI official.
Pickleball, which originates in the US, combines elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton. It is played in the format of singles and doubling by means of a paddle and perforated hollow plastic ball, which is volleyball through a court that is of the same size as the doubles “badminton court with a slightly low position.
“It is a defining moment, but we see it as the beginning. Our focus is firmly on the future, building a talent pipeline, creating career opportunities, and providing any Indian that has access to joy and the advantages of Pickleball,” IPA Suryaveer Singh Bhullar said on Instagram.
AIPA challenges the government’s decision
AIPA issued a statement that questioned the ministry’s step and claimed that it was “a pioneering authority responsible for the introduction and care of Pickleball in India since 2007–2008.”
“This decision not only hides, but raises serious concerns about transparency and justice in sport administration. In the interests of fair play and sports behavior, we call on the ministry to re -evaluate its decision and observe the values of pure sports,” said AIPA President Arvvoo.
AIPA quoted a clause in the National Sports Code of 2011, which orders the body to be considered a national sporting federation, “actively exists for more than three years on the date of request for recognition”.
IPA was registered in November last year according to registrar’s records, while AIPA completed this formality in 2008.
The AIPA statement claimed that the ministry’s step was influenced by “disproportionate lobbying and misleading representations of the newly created entity”.
“AIPA provided the Ministry of Sports the Ministry of Sports.
“Given the exceptions that have been made for AIPA, we had no choice but to deal with.
The Global Pickleball administration over the years has also witnessed a fair number of wars. There are three bodies that claim to be global control organs of sport.
International Federation Pickleball (IPF), World Federation Pickleball (WPF) and Global Pickleball Federation (GPF). IPF was established in 2010, followed by WPF in 2018, while GPF was founded in 2023 after the US broke the IPF series
Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
1st May 2025
