ISF President Announces Appointments
International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter announced appointments to the sport’s world governing body’s Executive Council that include Mrs. HE Huixian of China as Executive Vice President for Olympic Softball, Ms. LOW Beng Choo of Malaysia as Deputy Secretary General, and Peta EDEBONE, an Olympic Softball athlete from Australia. In addition to these appointments, Mrs. Jelena (Tomic) CUSAK of Croatia was elected ISF VP/Europe at the ISF Congress in Taiwan in late October. Also serving on the Council are Patricia LILLIAN (USA) and Fridah SHIROYA (Kenya).
The ISF President indicated that he has put forth strong initiatives to ISF national federations and the regional softball confederations to likewise boost female representation at all levels. Currently, 46% of ISF national federations have female representation, which includes presidents, vice presidents, secretary generals, and commission chairs. Mr. Porter has also directed greater inclusion of females in coaching and umpiring positions.
The ISF President has also moved to provide for greater participation in Olympic qualifying tournaments by recommending that the present qualification system be revamped to include additional Olympic qualifiers on a regional basis.
Mr. Porter has been on the move of-late, attending a number of major sporting events and meetings, including the recent conference in Tunis of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women in Guatemala City, and the Southeast Asian Games in Manila, where both men’s and women’s softball are part of that multisport games competition.
ISF WORKING TO EXPAND TV COVERAGE
The ISF is working with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) on extending television coverage of softball’s major events. The initial target is the XI Women’s World Championship, which will take place August 20-29, 2006 in Beijing, although consideration to other tournaments is being given as well. Preliminary talks have already taken place on TV broadcasts in China (of the women’s world championship) and the ISF-ASOIF venture is intended to get distribution in other parts of the world. Earlier this year there was extensive worldwide coverage by ESPN International of the World Cup of Softball, which saw Japan win the gold medal with a 3-1 victory over USA. Several other softball events have enjoyed regional and/or international TV coverage as well.
MEN’S & WOMEN’S SOFTBALL EVENTS CLOSE
The 23rd Southeast Asian Games are ending in Manila, where both men’s and women’s softball were being played. The SEA Games are one of approximately 15 multisport games that softball is on the program of. In men’s play, the host Philippines team defeated Indonesia in the gold medal game, with Malaysia winning the bronze medal and Singapore finishing fourth. The top two finishers were the same on the women’s side, with Thailand winning the bronze and Singapore finishing fourth. For more on the SEA Games’ softball, visit http://www.2005seagames.com.ph/.
In the meantime, the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women has wrapped up in Guatemala. USA edged Canada, 2-0, in the gold medal game, with Venezuela winning the bronze medal, followed by Cuba and Colombia. As a result, those five have secured spots in Beijing for next year’s world championship. Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic finished 6th-8th, respectively, to join the other five in qualifying for the 2007 Pan American Games. Six other countries were competing at the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women: Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Review the event online at http://www.panamsoftball.com/
The ISF President indicated that he has put forth strong initiatives to ISF national federations and the regional softball confederations to likewise boost female representation at all levels. Currently, 46% of ISF national federations have female representation, which includes presidents, vice presidents, secretary generals, and commission chairs. Mr. Porter has also directed greater inclusion of females in coaching and umpiring positions.
The ISF President has also moved to provide for greater participation in Olympic qualifying tournaments by recommending that the present qualification system be revamped to include additional Olympic qualifiers on a regional basis.
Mr. Porter has been on the move of-late, attending a number of major sporting events and meetings, including the recent conference in Tunis of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women in Guatemala City, and the Southeast Asian Games in Manila, where both men’s and women’s softball are part of that multisport games competition.
ISF WORKING TO EXPAND TV COVERAGE
The ISF is working with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) on extending television coverage of softball’s major events. The initial target is the XI Women’s World Championship, which will take place August 20-29, 2006 in Beijing, although consideration to other tournaments is being given as well. Preliminary talks have already taken place on TV broadcasts in China (of the women’s world championship) and the ISF-ASOIF venture is intended to get distribution in other parts of the world. Earlier this year there was extensive worldwide coverage by ESPN International of the World Cup of Softball, which saw Japan win the gold medal with a 3-1 victory over USA. Several other softball events have enjoyed regional and/or international TV coverage as well.
MEN’S & WOMEN’S SOFTBALL EVENTS CLOSE
The 23rd Southeast Asian Games are ending in Manila, where both men’s and women’s softball were being played. The SEA Games are one of approximately 15 multisport games that softball is on the program of. In men’s play, the host Philippines team defeated Indonesia in the gold medal game, with Malaysia winning the bronze medal and Singapore finishing fourth. The top two finishers were the same on the women’s side, with Thailand winning the bronze and Singapore finishing fourth. For more on the SEA Games’ softball, visit http://www.2005seagames.com.ph/.
In the meantime, the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women has wrapped up in Guatemala. USA edged Canada, 2-0, in the gold medal game, with Venezuela winning the bronze medal, followed by Cuba and Colombia. As a result, those five have secured spots in Beijing for next year’s world championship. Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic finished 6th-8th, respectively, to join the other five in qualifying for the 2007 Pan American Games. Six other countries were competing at the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women: Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Review the event online at http://www.panamsoftball.com/