Softball President: We're Separate From Baseball
Responding to a published report out of Seoul, International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter strongly stated that his sport should not be connected with baseball. Softball's world governing body's president, in Seoul for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and National Olympic Committee (NOC) meetings, said, "For too long we have been identified with baseball. We are a completely separate and independent sport, and only should be judged on the basis of what is factual and not by association or political."
Mr. Porter alluded to softball's resentment toward being coupled with baseball, pointing out that there has never been a positive doping case in women's international softball since testing began in 1982, and he noted that the concept of the IOC on why softball was removed for 2012 was not lack of universality or economics, since there are no concise figures or facts to support this, but more of being tied to baseball and its problems. Mr. Porter indicated that the ISF is continuing to take steps to disassociate its sport from baseball, especially those national federations that are presently combined with baseball.
The media report that the ISF President was responding to originated in Seoul on April 5 from the Associated Press.
Bruce R. Wawrzyniak, Director of Communications
International Softball Federation (ISF)
1900 So. Park Road
Plant City, FL 33563
USA
p. (813) 864-0100, ext. 229
f. (813) 864-0105
http://www.internationalsoftball.com/
Mr. Porter alluded to softball's resentment toward being coupled with baseball, pointing out that there has never been a positive doping case in women's international softball since testing began in 1982, and he noted that the concept of the IOC on why softball was removed for 2012 was not lack of universality or economics, since there are no concise figures or facts to support this, but more of being tied to baseball and its problems. Mr. Porter indicated that the ISF is continuing to take steps to disassociate its sport from baseball, especially those national federations that are presently combined with baseball.
The media report that the ISF President was responding to originated in Seoul on April 5 from the Associated Press.
Bruce R. Wawrzyniak, Director of Communications
International Softball Federation (ISF)
1900 So. Park Road
Plant City, FL 33563
USA
p. (813) 864-0100, ext. 229
f. (813) 864-0105
http://www.internationalsoftball.com/