Pickleball is no longer the best kept secret in this country. Pickleball in the United States has seen an explosion in the 2020s. The sport is bringing people of many different backgrounds together. This is happening in the USA very quickly, but will Pickleball fever accelerate enough to be considered an Olympic sport in time for 2024?
As it stands, Pickleball is not an Olympic sport. However, much can change in the 1.5 years until the Paris 2024 games. So what does it have to do to get recongized as an olympics sport such as Tennis and basketball? Let’s explore.
What does Pickleball need to do to be an Olympic Sport?
In order for Pickleball to even be considered as an Olympic sport, there have to be 75 countries need to be participating members in Pickleball’s international governing body. This governing body is called the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP). As of June 2022, the IFP has 63 member countries which means that 12 more would have to join in by the end of 2023 to have a shot.
Does the US have a National Pickleball Team?
Currently there is no official USA Pickleball team for men’s or women’s. However, if it was announced that Pickleball were to be an Olympic sport today, no doubt some of the most talented Pickleball men’s and women’s players in the country would participate as members of the squad. Amongst them would probably be the likes of Tyson McGuffin, Benjamin Johns, and Collin Johns on the Men’s side and the likes of Lea Jansen and Catherine Parenteau on the Women’s Team.
How fast is Pickleball growing on the world stage?
Pickleball has been much slower to grow internationally than here in the United States. That being said, the sport is still seeing healthy growth internationally. Major Pickleball tournaments are starting to gain steam in other countries like Spain, Mexico, Italy and our neighbors in Canada. Additionally, the USA is very influential when it comes to sporting trends. Pickleball should be no different. It is a game that is accessible to all and similar enough to already popular international sports like Tennis and Badminton that it will catch on across the world as we move into a more globally connected world.
Conclusion
Pickleball is not yet an Olympic sport, but there is much hope for the future. When 15 more countries start to participate in Pickleball’s governing body, then they will be eligible. By then, Pickleball’s world popularity might be exponentially greater than it is today.