The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), officially recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as the sole National Sports Federation (NSF) for pickleball in India, has strongly condemned the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) for defying this recognition. The IPA accused AIPA of unauthorized use of the terms “India” and state names, organizing illegal tournaments, and conducting unapproved equipment certifications and training programs, all of which violate Indian laws and the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. The IPA emphasized that AIPA’s activities are misleading, unauthorized, and detrimental to the sport’s development.
Additionally, the IPA refuted AIPA’s claims of hosting the World Pickleball Championship in India, stating that the event is a privately run commercial tournament with questionable foreign participation on tourist visas, potentially breaching national security and legal protocols. The IPA warned players, sponsors, and manufacturers that AIPA holds no legal authority as a governing body for pickleball in India, and its claims and operations are unauthorized and potentially illegal.
