Press Release by International Softball Federation and Amateur Softball Association
OKLAHOMA CITY — Softball leaders from throughout the world convene in Oklahoma City this week for the XXV International Softball Federation (ISF) Congress, being held Oct. 27-30 at the Marriott on Northwest Expressway. The Congress is hosted by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America/USA Softball.
“On behalf of ASA/USA Softball, I am excited to welcome our sport’s leaders to Oklahoma City, the Mecca of softball, for the XXV International Softball Federation Congress,” ASA/USA Softball Executive Director Ron Radigonda said. “With the landscape of international softball changing, the Congress could not come at a more pivotal time. I am looking forward to the positive changes that will result from the meetings here in Oklahoma City.”
Delegates began arriving Wednesday and action started earlier today with a meeting of the Finance and Budget Corporate Services Commission. While the Congress will include discussion whether or not softball should form a joint bid with baseball for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games during the Olympic Legacy Commission Forum on Saturday, other events include meetings of the competition commission, the playing rules commission and the slow pitch task force. Development, equipment standards and marketing will also be discussed with a variety of other topics.
Oklahoma City was chosen over a bid from the Bahamas Softball Federation and the 2011 congress marks the first time the meetings will take place in the United States since Tampa in 2001. In 2009, the congress traveled to Venezuela, in 2007 it was in Philippines, in 2005 Taiwan played host, and 2003 it took place in China.
About the ISF
Headquartered in Plant City, Florida (USA), the ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee and SportAccord (formerly the General Association of International Sports Federations). Softball (women’s fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 127 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.