International Baseball Committee applauds WBSC leadership, future path

World Baseball Softball Confederation’s advancement and 2020 Olympic Games campaign top priorities

ROME - The convening of baseball’s leaders in the Executive Hall of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) brought about a serious and productive discussion about the groundwork of the new governing body of baseball and softball, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), and the campaign being waged to include baseball/softball on the 2020 Olympic Programme.

The meeting was hosted by CONI, whose Secretary General Roberto Fabbricini was present for the opening remarks. Fabbricini sat as IBAF Executive Director from 2010-2012 and was honored by the baseball leaders for his guidance and leadership in the service to international baseball.

The status and progress of the new international federation, the WBSC, was reported on, with unanimous support and praise of the significant groundwork done, and of the future steps to be taken, by the WBSC Executive Board, which is being led by co-President’s Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter.

“We listened and learned from the Olympic Family and understood the power, efficiencies, reach and long-term viability of working together as one,” Fraccari said, “and we remain humbled and honored that baseball/softball were shortlisted by the IOC Executive Committee.”

“The mass appeal of baseball to youth, business, media, broadcasters is well-known and definitely one of our key advantages that we could bring to the Olympic Movement, but there is immeasurable value in the fact that softball’s inclusion in the Olympics would also empower girls and women and offer them more opportunities to be included in sport and in the Olympics, and for those stars to inspire younger generations of girls to develop an early interest in the Olympics and the values they stand for.”

“Our sport is easy to learn, easy to teach and can be played and watched anywhere, and furthermore, it would diversify the Olympic Programme’s portfolio, as there is no such category of sport already existing in the Games. There is running, throwing, batting, catching, teamwork---it’s an active, non-contact, social, sport,” Fraccari told the baseball committee.

Baseball/Softball are one of three additional candidates in consideration to supplement to the 2020 Olympic Programme.

(From IBAF Website)