Pickleball has proven itself to be one of the most popular sports since 2020. The growth of the sport in North America led to its promulgation in other continents. Such has been it’s rise, that the sport, whose gameplay is characterized as a mix of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is turning out to be a threat for lawn tennis.
The economics behind the sport, the ease in learning it, and the diversity in the age range of the players involved have made it a professional and a leisurely sport. Yet, the sport is yet to be roped in at the prestigious Olympics.
For a sport to be eligible to make it to the Olympics, it must be practiced by men in at least 75 countries and by women in at least 40 countries across three continents. Moreover, there should be one official governing body of the sport globally that is also recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
Pickleball has nearly achieved the first criteria. It is played by men in the threshold level of countries. However, it is the second point that might delay it’s inclusion in the Olympics. Currently, Pickleball has international governing bodies and continental federations as well. However, with over three bodies having their own pickleball circuit, it poses a major conflict as which one should be recognised as the global governing body of the sport.
Furthermore, in July 2024, the Olympic Charter stated that for a sport to be included in the Olympic games, it must “…comply with the Olympic Charter, the World Anti-Doping Code and the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competition.” The Olympic Charter further states that the sports that are to be considered for the Olympics are announced seven years prior to the opening ceremony or the declaration of the host city. Only in special cases, can a sport be included for the Olympics within a time span of three years instead of seven.
Pickleball is a part of the AAU Olympic Games, the youth Olympic tournament of the United States. However, for the summer Olympics pickleball is not being considered even as a demonstration sport. Pundits of the Olympics believe that for pickleball to witness itself in the Games, it might have to look beyond the year 2032.
