Mister-Baseball.com has supported the BackSoftball campaign to bring Softball back to the Olympics in the past year. However we cannot support the latest step by the International Softball Federation (ISF). In a press release from October 30, ISF president Don Porter calls out the National Softball Federations around the globe to declare independence from their current Federations. In Europe Softball is mostly connected with Baseball. Now the ISF says, they should file divorce papers from Baseball.
Instead to go side by side with the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), the move by the ISF looks like a last desperate attempt to get back into the Olympics at the 2009 IOC congress in Copenhagen. They could have started a combined concept to ensure a reinstatement into the Olympics. Now they are going into a complete different direction. The IOC is probably not happy about this new development.
The ISF, which is mostly influenced by the American Softball Federation, doesn’t see the necessity of European Softball to stay connected with Baseball. In most eyes on the old continent these sports aren’t two different ones. Softball clubs share their finances, playing fields, coaches, umpires and sometimes even players with Baseball. This isn’t perfect by all means, but most of the time this is working. Besides some teams in the Netherlands and in Italy, they have to go side by side or there wouldn’t be any Softball on a higher competitive level.
In North America or in Japan, this proposed concept might work, but they have much more money and tradition to live separately from Baseball. However they are not alone and if they want Softball to grow in Europe, they need their brother with the smaller ball. Of course, the ISF says, it will support these countries in the separation process, but for how long?
The complete press release by the International Softball Federation from October 30:
ISF announces landmark plans for all national softball federations to attain total independence
ISF President – ‘This is a vital step in the BackSoftball campaign’
Lausanne, Switzerland; 30th October 2008: The International Softball Federation (ISF) has today launched sweeping plans to ensure complete independence for all 131 national softball federations around the world.
This is seen as a crucial action in softball’s campaign to be reinstated onto the Olympic Program in 2016 after such a hugely successful Beijing Olympic Games this summer.
Legislation enacted at the ISF Congress decreed that ISF members (national federations) may not be constitutionally linked to a national federation of any other sport. The ISF has now set a timeline for
complete separation with a program offering assistance to help national softball federations achieve compliance within two years.
Currently, 35 of the 131 national federations around the world are aligned to other sports. This move is set to confirm the growing reputation of softball as a stand-alone sport of great stature across the globe. The move will also help eradicate any confusion in the Olympic Movement; it will clarify once and for all that softball is a fully independent international sport federation with independent national federations.
While here for the Beijing Olympic Games Debriefing for international federations, ISF President Don Porter said, “This is a vital step in the BackSoftball campaign. It is of fundamental importance that softball federations have complete autonomy in their territories in order to best ensure the sport continues to grow and maximize its potential. We’re confident that all our national federations are strong enough to stand on their own, and we will, of course, help ease them through the transition period.
“This move will also prevent some of the confusion that exists surrounding softball’s links with other sports. We will also provide comprehensive support to ensure this process runs smoothly.”
The ISF believes these plans are vital to the future development and growth of softball for adult women and men, youth development, and other disciplines of the sport, including Wheelchair, Beach, and Arena (indoor) Softball.
Softball was first featured in the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and this year’s competition in Beijing, which was won by Japan, was hugely successful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of the sport’s excellent record of no positive drug tests in major competitions.
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