ISF President: Softball Peaking
International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter said today (click here to see Q&A) that interest is very high in the upcoming XI Women’s World Championship, despite what could have been perceived as otherwise as a result of the lack of support by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Members last month to keep women’s softball on the programme of the 2012 Games in London.
“The popularity of our sport is right up there with many of the others that, like softball, have been successful on the world’s stage,” the ISF President said. “Of course, this was all detailed in the IOC’s own Evaluation Report that they were quick to point to when pressed on trying to provide a reason why Softball was taken off the 2012 programme.
“For the Women’s World Championship alone, not only do we have our 16 teams, but there’s even a waiting list of other countries that had expressed interest in having their team compete if a spot opened up. We also are confident that television will be involved in this event. Softball is a great sport being played competitively all around the world, even if the IOC failed to acknowledge that with regards to the 2012 programme vote.”
Mr. Porter added that, “Certainly the spectator support is sure to be great as well. Softball is very big in China and the people there turn out in great numbers for events like a world championship.”
The ISF XI Women’s World Championship, to be held in Beijing from August 27 – September 5, is not only one of the qualifiers for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition that will be held in the same new stadium that will open this summer, but is an Olympic Test Event as well.
“We’re going to do great in Beijing,” the ISF President said, “both this summer and in 2008.”
Mr. Porter indicated that since last month’s IOC Session in Torino when a vote on whether or not to reconsider softball’s 2012 Olympic status went (47-43) against taking such action, he has still received communications from various sporting officials, including IOC Members, who have indicated that the sport deserved to be in the Games in London. Furthermore, the venue that would’ve been built for the 2012 competition is still being considered despite last July’s 52-52 vote being upheld by last month’s result.
MEDIA:
For more information, please contact:
Bruce Wawrzyniak
ISF Director of Communications
E-mail: brucew@internationalsoftball.com
Tel: (1.813) 864 0100, ext. 229
Mob: (1.813) 453 8762
“The popularity of our sport is right up there with many of the others that, like softball, have been successful on the world’s stage,” the ISF President said. “Of course, this was all detailed in the IOC’s own Evaluation Report that they were quick to point to when pressed on trying to provide a reason why Softball was taken off the 2012 programme.
“For the Women’s World Championship alone, not only do we have our 16 teams, but there’s even a waiting list of other countries that had expressed interest in having their team compete if a spot opened up. We also are confident that television will be involved in this event. Softball is a great sport being played competitively all around the world, even if the IOC failed to acknowledge that with regards to the 2012 programme vote.”
Mr. Porter added that, “Certainly the spectator support is sure to be great as well. Softball is very big in China and the people there turn out in great numbers for events like a world championship.”
The ISF XI Women’s World Championship, to be held in Beijing from August 27 – September 5, is not only one of the qualifiers for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition that will be held in the same new stadium that will open this summer, but is an Olympic Test Event as well.
“We’re going to do great in Beijing,” the ISF President said, “both this summer and in 2008.”
Mr. Porter indicated that since last month’s IOC Session in Torino when a vote on whether or not to reconsider softball’s 2012 Olympic status went (47-43) against taking such action, he has still received communications from various sporting officials, including IOC Members, who have indicated that the sport deserved to be in the Games in London. Furthermore, the venue that would’ve been built for the 2012 competition is still being considered despite last July’s 52-52 vote being upheld by last month’s result.
MEDIA:
For more information, please contact:
Bruce Wawrzyniak
ISF Director of Communications
E-mail: brucew@internationalsoftball.com
Tel: (1.813) 864 0100, ext. 229
Mob: (1.813) 453 8762