WPF Press Releases
2022 World Maccabi Games
For Immediate Release
July 4, 2022
Pickleball is accepted as an exhibition sport at an IOC Sanctioned event, a major step towards Olympic acceptance.
Seymour Rifkind, (rif) President of WPF announced earlier this year that pickleball had been accepted as an exhibition sport at the 2022 World Maccabi Games. The World Maccabi Games is the 3rd largest international sporting event in the world. With over 10,000 athletes representing 85 countries in 45 sports only the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup are larger international sporting events.
Rif has assembled a great team of open and senior pros to participate in pickleball exhibitions which will coincide with the tennis competition. Four exhibitions are scheduled in Ramat Hasharon, Haifa, Jerusalem and Netania. Additionally, the team will perform exhibitions in the streets of Haifa and Jerusalem educating Israeli citizens why pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States and inviting them on the courts to give pickleball a try.
Our exhibition team members consist of:
Seymour Rifkind-President, WPF & IPTPA
Robert Quicksilver- Chairman of the Board, USA Pickleball
Jillian Braverman- CEO of DUPR, Open Pro Player
Megan Hall- Open Pro Player
Suzanne Leblang-Senior Pro Player
Brian Levine-Senior Pro Player
Scott Fliegelman-Senior Pro Player
As a young and growing sport, pickleball is going through some well documented growing pains. One objective that all organizations and companies can agree on is the desire to see pickleball in the Olympics. This has brought many of our leading organizations together. I’m pleased to announce the financial contributions made by USA Pickleball, IPTPA, and DUPR. Additional donations were provided by Maccabi USA and senior pro Brian Levine. Thanks as well to Pickleball Rocks for supplying team apparel to help build team solidarity and recognition. Our team arrives in Israel July 14, for the opening ceremonies and over the next 10 days we’ll demonstrate to the international sporting community why pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States while building memories that will last a lifetime.
If you would like to read our latest press release about World Pickleball Federation recognising Pickleball Global’s rankings and the World Pickleball Championships will be sanctioned by WPF, click on the visual below. If you would like to see Pickleball Global’s Ranking click HERE:
