Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) President Javier Regalado delivered stunning news at his World Pickleball Conference keynote: The GPF “has officially begun the Olympic recognition process.”
According to Regalado, the federation has already submitted pickleball’s application to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and has paid the accompanying fees as well.
“The journey is no longer an idea—it is a reality. We are taking pickleball from backyards and gyms…to the doorstep of the Olympic Games,” Regalado proudly announced. “Let that sink in. For the first time in the history of our sport, pickleball is now moving forward on a formal pathway to join the Olympic family.”
With the Olympic application submitted to the IOC already, Regalado announced that the GPF will be moving from aspiration to action and look to do the following to formalise the sport’s inclusion to the Quadrennial Games:
- Finalise the recognition process.
- Expand to over 90 active federations.
- Launch merit-based World and Continental Championships under GPF governance.
- Complete full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency Code.
- Deliver a world-class dossier for final review by the IOC.
Regalado also added that this momentous application was only made possible through the GPF’s vision and “through unity and hard work”—and with governance, of course. This governance, according to Regalado, is something the GPF takes very seriously, with the federation doing everything in its power to protect the sport’s rules and athletes and “build a sport worthy of global respect.”
“Governance is not about control. It’s about clarity. It’s the shield that protects the sport’s integrity—and the bridge that invites investment, credibility, and opportunity,” he said. “It’s about creating an international rule of law for our beloved sport.That’s why we created the Global Pickleball Federation.”
Bold Vision, Concrete Action: The GPF Is Forging the Road Ahead for Pickleball
Regalado then shared about the GPF’s origins, noting how the federation “was born out of necessity” and as a “response to a fragmented ecosystem” that so regions working isolation. It was this gap that the GPF sought to fill, and it is doing so ever so gradually as it now has 67 member federations across continents and membership expected to grow to just under 100 at the end of 2025.
The GPF president also emphasised the federation’s five core commitments:
- Integrity of the game through fair rules, anti-doping compliance, and ethical standards
- Equity and access by ensuring all regions, especially emerging ones, have a seat at the table.
- Competition pathways to support referees, coaches, and athletes across borders
- Neutrality and fairness so every player and stakeholder competes under the same rules.
- A direct roadmap to Olympic recognition.
Guided by these core commitments, the GPF, according to Regalado, has already delivered:
- A standardised rulebook for the members.
- A coaching endorsement program that raises the bar for training and certification.
- A library of written guides designed to help federations grow the sport in their countries.
Next up, he said are a referee training and certification system and an equipment grant program to help open more courts around the world. With this, Regalado emphasised that the GPF’s efforts are not for recognition but for the players, with the big goal of making pickleball accessible, fair, and unifying.
Regalado finished his keynote by reiterating his initial announcement about the GPF putting in motion pickleball’s Olympic dream and providing a call to action: “The door to the Olympics and the future is open. Now it’s time to step through it—together.”
