Five new sports were added to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, including sports such as Karate and Skateboarding. It appears like there is a push for new, popular sports to join the Olympic fold. How about pickleball then?
Pickleball is not in the Olympics, unfortunately. And the Global Association of International Sports Federations doesn’t yet have a representative for it. Pickleheads all over the world are active in their effort to include it in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
What Kind of Sport Is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It is played on a smaller court than tennis, using paddles and a plastic ball with holes, similar to a Wiffle ball. The court is divided into two sides by a net, and players on each side take turns hitting the ball over the net, with the objective of making it difficult for their opponents to return the ball.
The game is typically played as doubles, with two players on each side, but it can also be played as singles. Pickleball is a popular sport for people of all ages and skill levels, and it can be played indoors or outdoors on a variety of surfaces, including concrete, asphalt, and even grass.
According to The Economist, pickleball is currently the American sport with the fastest growth. There were around 5 million pickleball players in the US in 2021 thanks to the proliferation of pickleball courts across the nation.
Why Isn’t Pickleball in the Olympics?
For sports to be included on the International Olympic Committee’s list, they must fulfill specific standards (IOC). One of them is that at least 75 males from four different continents must participate. Or, the game must be played by women from at least 40 different nations on three different continents. Unfortunately, pickleball does not currently correspond to the criteria despite being quite popular in the USA.
Will Pickleball Become an Olympic Sport?
As we have understood by now, establishing a new sport in the Olympics is no simple task. Pickleball has rapidly gained popularity, but it still hasn’t gained the necessary level of acceptance. The International Federation of Pickleball must move closer to its Olympic objectives in order to increase pickleball’s appeal. The International Pickleball Federation now has 70 member nations. In the past three years, many of these nations have joined. For Olympic male sports, reaching 75 nations is necessary.
It is currently primarily a US game. The sport’s popularity must rise in order for it to be accepted in other nations. But, if the game can continue on its current path of growth and success, we might be able to see it at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
FAQs
Pickleball is a relatively new sport that was invented in the mid-1960s, and while it has gained popularity in recent years, it has not yet been included in the Olympic Games. However, with the sport’s increasing popularity around the globe, it can become an Olympic sport by 2028.
In just over 3 years Pickleball has 39 countries representing 5 continents. These countries include the United States, Canada, Spain, India, the Philippines, Mexico, and the Czech Republic.
Pickleball was invented in the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a small community located in the Puget Sound region of Washington state in the United States. The game was invented by Joel Pritchard, a U.S. Congressman, and his friend Bill Bell, who were trying to find a way to entertain their families during a lazy summer weekend. They created the game by combining elements of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong, and used a perforated plastic ball and wooden paddles.
The sport must be widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries and on four continents, and by women in no fewer than 40 countries and on three continents.
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the USA, this sport has been around for years but is now gaining traction fast. In February 2022, pickleball was named the USA’s fastest-growing sport for the second year in a row by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Pickleball has 4.8 million players nationwide, an increase of nearly 40% over two years ago.
Conclusion
So, Is Pickleball an Olympic Sport? No, not yet. However, the sport has all the potential to become one. There are high chances that Pickleball will be played in the Olympics 2028! The sport’s inclusion in the Pan American Games is a significant step forward, and it could pave the way for pickleball’s eventual inclusion in future Olympic Games. With the sport’s accessibility, appeal to a wide demographic, and focus on promoting values such as fair play and inclusivity, it would undoubtedly make a great addition to the Olympic lineup.