2020-10-14

WBSC postpones last remaining 2020 World Cups until next year

The Women's Baseball World Cup and Under-15 Baseball World Cup have been postponed once more, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has confirmed.
The coronavirus pandemic and associated travel restrictions have been cited as the reason for the postponements.
Mexican city Tijuana is still slated to host the tournaments, with it hoped they can be played in March next year.
The Women's Baseball World Cup is now scheduled to run from March 1 to 9, with the boys' under-15 event occupying March 13 to 22 on the calendar.
They had previously been pushed back to October and November dates in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today’s difficult decision means that for the first time since the founding of the International Baseball Federation in 1938, we will have no official international baseball competitions in a calendar year," WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said.
"We are especially disappointed for our athletes and National Federations, who were set to compete and shine in this year’s Baseball World Cups.
"On behalf of the WBSC, I would like to thank Mexico's National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport, PROBEIS [Office for the Promotion and Development of Baseball], the Baja California Sports Institute and our baseball officials in Mexico who remain dedicated to hosting and successfully delivering these world championship events."
Mexico is also due to stage the Under-23 Baseball World Cup next year, with that event timetabled for September 24 to October 3 in Ciudad Obregon and Los Mochis.
The country has reported more than 83,000 coronavirus deaths.