GPF President Javier Regalado Addresses the World Pickleball Conference

July 10, 2025

GPF President Javier Regalado with host Carl Foster, World Pickleball Conference June 2025

View Javier Regalado’s full speech here: WPC 2025 Javier Regalado , President of Global PIckleball Federation and Olympic updates – YouTube

Good afternoon,

I’m honored to begin today not with a plan, but with a milestone.

Because today, I can proudly announce that the Global Pickleball Federation has officially begun the Olympic recognition process.

The application has been submitted. The fees have been paid.

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.

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.

This moment didn’t happen by accident. It came through vision. Through unity and hard work.

Through a growing consensus that if we want to go far—we must go together.

But progress demands more than passion. It demands governance.

As our sport grows, so does the responsibility we carry—

The responsibility to protect the rules. To protect our athletes.To 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.

It’s about creating an international rule of law for our beloved sport.

That’s why we created the Global Pickleball Federation.

Let me briefly share how we got here.

The GPF was born out of necessity—a response to a fragmented ecosystem, where each region worked tirelessly, but too often in isolation.

So a group of us from around the world—representing national federations, big and small—came together with one goal:

To build a strong international federation that would serve the entire pickleball community—players, coaches, referees, non-profits, for-profits, and passionate volunteers alike.

A federation that respected national autonomy, but united us under shared standards, ethics, and vision.

From that idea, the GPF was founded—a non-profit, independent, and inclusive governing body dedicated to the global development of pickleball.

Today, we proudly represent 67 member federations, spanning every continent,and we will close 2025 with just under 100.

We are grounded in five core commitments:

One: Integrity of the game—through fair rules, anti-doping compliance, and ethical standards.

Two: Equity and access—ensuring all regions, especially emerging ones, have a seat at the table.

Three: Competition pathways—supporting referees, coaches, and athletes across borders.

Four: Neutrality and fairness—so every player and stakeholder compete under the same rules.

And five: A direct roadmap to Olympic recognition.

These five commitments are designed to create one essential thing: Certainty.

And I emphasize that word—Certainty—because above all, I come from business.

I understand how important certainty is for investors.

Now, leading the GPF, I can assure you: We take our governance role seriously.

We will work hard to bring every stakeholder into compliance, and we will actively oppose any monopolies that threaten fairness in our sport.

In just a short time, the GPF has moved quickly from planning, to implementation, to delivering real tools and support to our country members.

We have launched a Strategic Plan—Active8—available on our website, outlining exactly how we will achieve our goals.

And here’s what we’ve already delivered:

A standardized rulebook for our 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.

Coming next:

A referee training and certification system.
An equipment grant program to help open more courts around the world.

And now, with this Olympic application,
we move from aspiration to action.

Over the next four years, we will:

✅ Finalize 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.
✅ And deliver a world-class dossier for final review by the International Olympic Committee.

We do this not for recognition—but for the players.

Let me bring you back—to a small concrete court in Mexico.

A few months ago,I met a young girl named Aline.

She was playing pickleball on chalk-lined pavement with a handmade paddle—and a smile brighter than any trophy I’ve ever seen.

I asked her what she loved most about the game. She said, “It makes everyone equal. It’s the one place we all get the same chance.”

And that is our mission: Not just to make pickleball bigger—but to make it accessible, fair, and unifying.

So today, from this global stage,I call on all of us:

Let’s build a sport with structure. Let’s build it with empathy. Let’s build it with the future in mind.

The door to the Olympics and the future is open.

Now it’s time to step through it—together.

Thank you.

Javier Regalado