WORLD WHEELCHIR PICKLEBALL

 World Wheelchair Pickleball is the dedicated international governing department for Wheelchair Pickleball, functioning under the International Para Pickleball Association (IPPA). It is responsible for developing, promoting and administering Wheelchair Pickleball worldwide through standardized rules, classification systems, world rankings and international competitions. 

Yes.  World Wheelchair Pickleball is the World Governing Body and operates as the dedicated department of the International Para Pickleball Association (IPPA), the World Governing Body for Para Pickleball. Through this structure, it oversees the international development, technical regulations, classification and competitive framework for Wheelchair Pickleball in the World.

Raghu Kumar Raghavelu is the Founder of World Wheelchair Pickleball and a pioneer in the structured development of Wheelchair Pickleball. Through his work with IPPA, he has contributed to establishing international rules, player classification, world ranking frameworks and competitive opportunities for wheelchair players. 

Under the IPPA Wheelchair Pickleball Classification System, players are assigned to sport classes PP51, PP52, PP53, PP54, PP55, PP56 or PP57, according to the applicable classification criteria. The system considers the functional impact of eligible impairments to support fair, meaningful and structured competition. 

Wheelchair Pickleball competitions conducted under IPPA sanction follow the applicable provisions of the IPPA Book of Rules and Wheelchair Pickleball regulations. These include player eligibility, classification, wheelchair-specific playing rules, court positioning, bounce requirements, officiating and tournament procedures. 

 Raghu Kumar Raghavelu is recognized by IPPA as the Father of the Wheelchair Pickleball Classification System for his pioneering work in developing a structured classification framework for wheelchair players. The IPPA system includes sport classes PP51 to PP57 and is designed to group eligible players according to the functional impact of their impairments on competitive performance. 

The mission of World Wheelchair Pickleball is to promote and develop Wheelchair Pickleball in countries worldwide by supporting national governing bodies, expanding player participation, establishing consistent technical standards and creating opportunities for international competition. Its objective is to build an inclusive global sporting pathway that advances accessibility, dignity, equality and sporting excellence for wheelchair players. 

The 1st Asian Wheelchair Pickleball Championships will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 9th to 11th December 2026. Eligible PP51 to PP57 Categories are welome to send your entries online. REGISTER HERE

National Governing Bodies and eligible Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) promoting Wheelchair Pickleball in their respective countries may apply for affiliation and membership with World Wheelchair Pickleball, subject to the applicable eligibility requirements and approval procedures. 

Yes. World Wheelchair Pickleball supports the development of international Wheelchair Pickleball competitions under the IPPA framework. Its objectives include promoting international participation, establishing consistent competition standards and creating opportunities for wheelchair players to compete at national and international levels. 

The International Para Pickleball Association (IPPA), through its dedicated World Wheelchair Pickleball department, develops and administers the applicable technical rules and regulations for Wheelchair Pickleball competitions. These provisions address wheelchair-specific playing requirements, eligibility, classification, officiating and tournament procedures. 

 World Wheelchair Pickleball functions as the dedicated Wheelchair Pickleball department of the International Para Pickleball Association (IPPA). It operates within the IPPA framework to advance wheelchair-specific rules, classification, rankings, national affiliations and international competition.