Bula! Last week Pickleball Australia Association (PAA) representatives Jen Ramamurthy (Board Chairwoman) and Brendan Lee (Executive Officer) were invited to Fiji; to meet with delegates from the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) and like-minded organisations who are helping forge the path towards the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The inaugural conference (Step Up Conference) was held in Brisbane in 2023 and the conference aims to unite key stakeholders from across the Oceania region to “Create the Home Games Advantage” for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
During the conference PAA had a pickleball display, sharing our story and highlighting the successes of pickleball and our plans for the future. A pickleball demonstration was also offered during the conference and delegates were able to experience pickleball and discover firsthand why this sport is so addictive.
What also came from the conference was the opportunity to present to the smaller Oceania countries who were yet to discover pickleball. It’s safe to say, these countries now have the knowledge and connections to immerse the sport of pickleball into their communities. Next time you visit Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu, Cook Islands or Vanuatu; be sure you pack your paddle!
There is a lot of talk about if and when pickleball will become an Olympic Sport… A great deal of work has to be done to achieve this at the international level, but rest assured PAA is helping to drive this at the Oceania level.
Will we become a recognised sport or demonstration sport at or by Brisbane 2032? Time will tell.
Established in 1981, ONOC is one of five continental associations. It looks after the interest of 17 member nations. To find out more about ONOC please visit: Oceania National Olympic Committee | Official Website (oceanianoc.org)