2018-03-25

Key decisions in last session of WBSC Executive Board Meeting, focus on Paris 2024

25/03/2018　The ambition for baseball and softball’s inclusion on the Paris 2024 Olympic Programme opened the morning session of the second day of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Executive Board meeting at the headquarters of the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF).

Following a presentation from WBSC’s partner agency JTA, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said:“This is an exciting time for our sport, working together with the French Federation of Baseball and Softball to cement our place on the Olympic Programme. With our Olympic comeback already confirmed at Tokyo 2020, we feel we are in an ideal position to showcase our strengths looking forward to Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.”
The Executive Board reviewed a bid from Tainan City, Taiwan, to host the U-12 Baseball World Cup for the long-term.
The Executive Board assigned a Wild Card to World No. 22 China to participate in the U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018, and voted to restructure the age categories of the Softball (Women’s and Men’s) World Cups. Starting in 2020, the U-19 will become U-18. WBSC will also launch the U-12, U-15, U-23 World Cups. The Softball Division will restructure and rename the co-ed Softball slow-pitch World Cup
The WBSC Executive Board again reinforced the stipulation that only the highest-level National Team tournaments are appropriate to be named World Cups.
The WBSC Executive Board deliberated on the establishment of Baseball5 as WBSC third official discipline, adding it to baseball and softball. The governing body will now be able to explore endless opportunities for development.
The WBSC Executive Board cleared way for the founding of Base, the in-house company that will manage WBSC media and sponsorship rights.
The Executive Board approved 2 new National Federation Members (Bermuda, Laos baseball) and an Associate Member (the American Amateur Baseball Congress, AABC), to be ratified by next WBSC Congress.