July, 6, 2011
7/06/11
1:38
PM ET
By Sarah Spain | ESPN.com
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On Monday, while you were no doubt enjoying a cold brew at a barbecue and watching fireworks, the softball world had something more than brats and dogs to cheer for. Inserted quietly into a news release revealing the events to be added to the 2014 Winter Games was a short list of sports to be considered for the 2020 Olympics — and softball was on it.
While news of softball’s inclusion is huge, the sport still is one of eight vying for a single spot. The others to be considered by the International Olympic Committee are karate, roller sports, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard, wushu and baseball. In September 2013, the IOC will meet in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to select one sport to add to the program at the 2020 Games.
Not only does softball need to beat out seven other sports, the people in charge at the IOC also need to be convinced of its merit after dropping it from the Olympics several years ago. In 2005, the IOC elected to remove baseball and softball from the Olympic program for the 2012 Games, and in 2009, voted to keep them from the 2016 Games as well.
Those who voted to cut softball argued that the sport lacks appeal on a global stage, and the results of the first four Olympic softball competitions support their claims. The U.S. won the gold in three of those four Olympics, outscoring its opponents 51-1 en route to gold in 2004.
03/08/2016
RIO DE JANEIRO — The World Baseball Softball Confederation today welcomed the decision of the IOC Session to approve adding baseball and softball to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The WBSC is now looking forward to the honour of showcasing baseball/softball on the world’s greatest stage in 2020 and making a valuable contribution to the Olympic Movement by connecting the IOC to new audiences in every corner of the globe.
he sports have a global reach, with loyal fan bases in some of the most important sports markets on the planet, in particular Japan where baseball/softball is widely considered to be the number one sport in the country. The WBSC Premier 12 was Japan’s most-watched international sports programme in 2015 and in June 2016 a record crowd attended the opening game of the WBSC-sanctioned international softball series between Japan and the United States at the Tokyo Dome. The WBSC is now in a position to harness this enormous support for the benefit of the Olympic Movement by nurturing a passion for the Olympic Games in generations of baseball/softball fans around the world.”
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said: “We are excited about the IOC’s announcement restoring Baseball and Softball to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Baseball and Softball are global sports that belong in the Olympics. We are grateful to the IOC Executive Board, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation for their collective efforts, which will allow fans throughout the world to again enjoy Baseball and Softball on the Olympic stage.”
Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner Katsuhiko Kumazaki said: “Baseball and Softball back in the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 is a pleasant and exciting news for all of us in the baseball/softball family. It is the result of continuous strong promotion, which baseball and softball people worked together as one. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Mori, president of Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020 for his support, Mr. Fraccari, president of WBSC for his leadership, all the staff and personnel involved for their efforts, and last but not least, to all the baseball/softball fans all over the world for boosting our campaign.”
Softball Game 