Indian Pickleball Association Wins Court Case vs. AIPA as Fight for NSF Recognition Appears to Be Over
It looks like the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) will proceed as the national sports federation (NSF) of pickleball in India. This is after the Delhi High Court upheld the Centre’s previous decision to recognise the IPA as the country’s NSF, noting that such a determination was made by what the court deemed a domain expert.
The Sports Ministry had previously recognised the IPA as India’s NSF on 25 April 2025. This recognition made the group, which at that time had been in existence for only six months, eligible for financial assistance from the government. It was also granted autonomy to regulate, promote, and develop the sport at the national level.
The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), which predates the IPA by several years, opposed the recognition, correctly claiming that it has been promoting pickleball in India for over a decade already. The AIPA also alleged that the ministry violated the National Sports Development Code by recognising an organisation that was only 138 days old at the time of recognition.
But, in rejecting the AIPA’s appeal, Justice Sachin Datta pointed out that the court does not want to interfere with the Ministry’s earlier proclamation, as it is the expert in such matters. Datta also noted that it is not within the court’s jurisdiction to sit in appeal over this dispute.
In its judgment dated 2 February 2026, the court held that the recognition previously granted to the IPA could not be termed ex facie arbitrary or manifestly unreasonable.
“In the circumstances, this court finds no merit in the present petition; the same is, accordingly, dismissed,” Datta said.
Indian Pickleball Association Got Concessions from Sports Ministry
In recognising the Indian Picklenball Association, the Sports Ministry exempted it from certain requirements under the Sports Code, notably the provision of having a minimum prior existence of three years at the time of applying for recognition, as well as the requirement of having 50 per cent district units affiliated with state or Union Territory associations.
While taking these provisions under consideration, the High Court noted that the Sports Code also had provisions to relax the conditions contained therein in appropriate cases. What’s more, the High Court pointed out that the Sports Code was non-statutory in nature and, therefore, could not be treated as rigid or incapable of accommodating exemptions, particularly for emerging sports.
“Nascent or emerging sports such as pickleball cannot be treated on par with legacy or established sports,” the court emphasised. “It cannot be lost sight of the fact that there are many provisions of the Sports Code which are required to be applied in the context of a particular sport and with due sensitivity to the developmental stage of the sport concerned.”
With the decision, it’s looking like the IPA can continue to fulfil its mandate as the ministry’s duly recognised NSF for pickleball. The AIPA, on the other hand, might not have any other recourse but to accept the High Court’s ruling.
