New Delhi [India], May 5 (ANI): The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the ongoing injustice regarding the sport of Pickleball and its recognition being overlooked for the last 18 years by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).

Established in 2007, the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) is the oldest and most widely represented governing body for pickleball in India, with active federations in 24 states. AIPA has played a pivotal role in the structured growth of the sport for nearly two decades and is also a founding member of both the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and the Asian Pickleball Federation (APF), with official affiliations granted in 2015 and 2020, respectively, as per a press release from AIPA.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, AIPA expressed their disappointment, stating, 'Respected Prime Minister, we write this letter not just as members of the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), but as citizens who believe in merit, justice, and the idea of India as a sporting nation built on hard work, not political preferences. Over the last 18 years, AIPA has nurtured and built Pickleball in India -- brick by brick, paddle by paddle.'

'What began as an unknown sport is today played across 25+ states, with thousands of players, coaches, tournaments, and associations -- all mobilised, trained, and built through the relentless, unpaid efforts of AIPA and its community. And yet, in a move that's left an entire sporting ecosystem stunned and demoralised,' the letter added.

Further, the association spoke about the Sports Ministry's decision to grant National Sports Federation (NSF) status to the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA).

'The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has chosen to grant recognition as the National Sports Federation (NSF) to the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) -- a body that, as per publicly available records, came into existence 5 months ago. Is this the message we wish to send to the sporting world -- that merit doesn't matter, and sweat can be tuned by influence?' the letter further stated.

'This is not just a case of AIPA being overlooked. It's a case of Indian sport being undermined. Years of effort are being erased by a shortcut. Of trust in the system being shattered. We urge you, with folded hands and hopeful hearts, to intervene. To review this decision transparently. And to ensure that Indian sport -- and the athletes, coaches, and associations that build it -- are not casualties of politics. This is not just about Pickleball. This is about principle. And about the India we want to become,' the letter concluded. (ANI)