Vietnam’s Civil Servants Pick Up Paddle: Quang Tri Inspectorate Hosts Women’s Doubles Tournament
Pickleball is no longer just a weekend pastime in Vietnam. It’s finding its way into government offices, too.
The Quang Tri Provincial Inspectorate held its 2026 Women’s Doubles Pickleball Tournament from 13 to 15 October, bringing together 11 pairs of female civil servants and employees from the agency’s office and departments. The event marked the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Women’s Union on 20 October 1930, and came in anticipation of the 81st anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Vietnam Inspectorate on 23 November.
Playing Around the Day Job
The tournament was organised under Plan No. 2385/KH-TTr, dated 27 August 2026, and run by the Youth Union of the Provincial Inspectorate. One smart tweak stood out. To let the participants fulfil their professional duties and still compete and cheer on their teammates, the organising committee adjusted the original schedule. The competition ran over three days, and every match was played outside working hours.
The opening ceremony took place on the afternoon of 13 October in a lively atmosphere, with inspectorate leaders, heads of specialised departments, and a large crowd of officials, civil servants, and employees on hand. Leaders presented flowers to the athletes to mark the start.
Grassroots Games, Serious Spirit
Matches were held at the Pickleball Co.opmart Dong Hoi arena, and the three days were, by the organisers’ account, exciting, lively, and dramatic. Despite being a grassroots, in-house event, the players took to the court in a serious training spirit, producing spectacular plays, fierce point-scoring battles, and strong teamwork. Colleagues in the stands cheered them on, and the fair play and sportsmanship on display created a cohesive, joyful atmosphere.
Chief Inspector of the province Nguyen Hoai Nam presented the first prize. The report doesn’t name the champions or give any results, only that the tournament served as a healthy outlet for physical training and a way to honour the beauty, dynamism, and confidence of female inspection officers.
A Wider Wave
Quang Tri is far from alone. The same report lists other pickleball tournaments and exchanges across Vietnam tied to the Women’s Union anniversary, including one by the Women’s Association of the Ninh Binh Provincial Police Department on 14 October. Similar events have been held by the Son La Provincial Inspectorate and the provincial Youth Union, which makes clear that the sport has taken hold well beyond the usual club circuit.
Indeed, when a provincial inspectorate schedules matches around office hours and its chief inspector hands out the trophies, that’s a sign of how far pickleball’s reach now extends in Vietnam.
