European Softball Federation Congress Concludes with Commitment to Retain Exemplary Anti-doping Record
ISF President – ‘Softball’s clean bill of health is something of which we are immensely proud’
Lausanne, Switzerland; February 11th 2009: With the sport about to embark on a schedule for this calendar year laden with regional and international tournaments around the world, the European Softball Federation (ESF) concluded its Congress in Lausanne this past weekend with International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter reaffirming the sport’s commitment to keeping softball doping-free.
Joined by senior ISF officials, including VP/North America Dale McMann, Mr. Porter told ESF delegates that softball’s exemplary record at the elite level – having enjoyed an almost 30-year period without a single positive doping test in any international competition – must continue as the sport grows across the globe.
Speaking on his return to the ISF’s new office in Lausanne, the ISF president said, “Softball’s clean bill of health is something we are immensely proud of. Despite the huge increase in top level competitions as the sport has grown in popularity, we have an anti-doping culture that is a credit to our sport.
“Softball continues to grow in popularity and stature with everyone from young schoolchildren to grandparents. Not only is it a great and easily accessible sport, but it exemplifies the values that sport and the Olympic movement aims to promote.
“The Olympic final last year capped a fantastic showing for softball in Beijing and continued our fine record of having thousands of clean competitors at the highest level of international softball. We’ve always been determined to support the initiatives and values laid out by the Word Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and I am proud that our anti-doping initiatives and the integrity of our competitors have maintained our fine record.”
The European Softball Federation Congress, which had delegates from 25 countries in Lausanne, ratified plans for Italy to host the 2010 World University Softball Championship and confirmed that Russia will participate in the World Games in Taiwan this July.
This comes just after last week’s signing of the hosting agreement for the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup that will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, this August to showcase the play of age 16-and-under girls from four regions throughout the world (Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe).
The ISF opened its first European office at la Maison du Sport International in the heart of the Olympic movement in Lausanne last week, just before the start of the ESF Congress. (The world headquarters for the ISF is located in Plant City, Florida.)
The Congress also elected a new Executive Council, with André van Overbeek (Netherlands) becoming the new ESF president. Patrice Bienfait (France) remains the Secretary General and Giovanni Sanna (Italy) became 1st Vice President, among several others elected.
In addition, umpire Gilbert Tobback (Belgium) was elected to the ESF Hall of Fame while next year’s ESF Congress was awarded to Turkey.
A comprehensive 2009 schedule of eleven European tournaments in seven countries was also finalized at the ESF Congress, which also got a head start on the list for 2010 (four tournaments in three countries so far).
Softball is working to be voted back onto the Olympic programme when the IOC meets in Copenhagen in October this year and, among other business, votes on the sports that will comprise the 2016 Summer Games.
Softball was first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and last year’s competition in Beijing, which was won by Japan, was hugely successful with a total attendance close to 180,000.
Further information is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.
For more information please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com,+1 813 864 0100 +1 813 453 8762 +44 7802 412424
Lausanne, Switzerland; February 11th 2009: With the sport about to embark on a schedule for this calendar year laden with regional and international tournaments around the world, the European Softball Federation (ESF) concluded its Congress in Lausanne this past weekend with International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter reaffirming the sport’s commitment to keeping softball doping-free.
Joined by senior ISF officials, including VP/North America Dale McMann, Mr. Porter told ESF delegates that softball’s exemplary record at the elite level – having enjoyed an almost 30-year period without a single positive doping test in any international competition – must continue as the sport grows across the globe.
Speaking on his return to the ISF’s new office in Lausanne, the ISF president said, “Softball’s clean bill of health is something we are immensely proud of. Despite the huge increase in top level competitions as the sport has grown in popularity, we have an anti-doping culture that is a credit to our sport.
“Softball continues to grow in popularity and stature with everyone from young schoolchildren to grandparents. Not only is it a great and easily accessible sport, but it exemplifies the values that sport and the Olympic movement aims to promote.
“The Olympic final last year capped a fantastic showing for softball in Beijing and continued our fine record of having thousands of clean competitors at the highest level of international softball. We’ve always been determined to support the initiatives and values laid out by the Word Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and I am proud that our anti-doping initiatives and the integrity of our competitors have maintained our fine record.”
The European Softball Federation Congress, which had delegates from 25 countries in Lausanne, ratified plans for Italy to host the 2010 World University Softball Championship and confirmed that Russia will participate in the World Games in Taiwan this July.
This comes just after last week’s signing of the hosting agreement for the Easton Foundation Youth Softball World Cup that will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, this August to showcase the play of age 16-and-under girls from four regions throughout the world (Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe).
The ISF opened its first European office at la Maison du Sport International in the heart of the Olympic movement in Lausanne last week, just before the start of the ESF Congress. (The world headquarters for the ISF is located in Plant City, Florida.)
The Congress also elected a new Executive Council, with André van Overbeek (Netherlands) becoming the new ESF president. Patrice Bienfait (France) remains the Secretary General and Giovanni Sanna (Italy) became 1st Vice President, among several others elected.
In addition, umpire Gilbert Tobback (Belgium) was elected to the ESF Hall of Fame while next year’s ESF Congress was awarded to Turkey.
A comprehensive 2009 schedule of eleven European tournaments in seven countries was also finalized at the ESF Congress, which also got a head start on the list for 2010 (four tournaments in three countries so far).
Softball is working to be voted back onto the Olympic programme when the IOC meets in Copenhagen in October this year and, among other business, votes on the sports that will comprise the 2016 Summer Games.
Softball was first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and last year’s competition in Beijing, which was won by Japan, was hugely successful with a total attendance close to 180,000.
Further information is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.
For more information please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@internationalsoftball.com,