AIPA vs. IPA: Delhi High Court Reserves Judgement, Decision Likely to Be Given in Four Weeks

The Delhi High Court has reserved its order in the ongoing case filed by the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) against the decision of India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) to grant National Sports Federation (NSF) status to the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA).

Justice Sachin Datta heard the arguments already, and a decision is likely to be announced in four weeks. In the case, the AIPA challenged the MYAS’s decision to grant recognition to the IPA, noting that it had only been recently formed and that the decision might have been made arbitrarily.

“We concluded our arguments today. The Honorable court has reserved its judgement and we have to give our written submission. We should get a judgement in four weeks’ time,” AIPA counsel Hemanth Phalpher told The Bridge on Tuesday.

Phalpher added that the MYAS counsel defended the Ministry’s decision, telling the Delhi High Court that the group had sole discretion to grant NSF recognition to whomever it wants. According to Phalper, the MYAS counsel told the court that the group “have the power to relax and give exemptions as and when we feel like.”  

“They said it was their policy decision. Per them, they can give any affiliation to whomsoever we want and no one has the right to take the affiliation from them,” said Phalpher.

It appears that it is exactly what the sports ministry did in recognising the IPA. The recognition came as a complete surprise, especially since the association, which announced a busy slate of tournaments for the summer, is only six months old. In contrast, the AIPA was established way back in 2008 and has been promoting and cultivating the sport in India for nearly two decades now.

During the case hearing, the Indian government noted that pickleball still lacks a globally recognised governing body, like FIFA for football and FIBA for basketball.