The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) will hold its inaugural Congress, where all members of the baseball and softball international family can unite under the WBSC banner, on 7-9 March 2014, though a venue has yet to be determined.
The WBSC was formed in 2012 through a merger of the International Baseball and Softball Federations to underline the joint bid by baseball and softball for Olympic reinstatement as two formats of the same sport. A joint International Federation for the two sports was seen as essential in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee.
It is hoped that news of the inaugural WBSC Congress will send out a strong signal that work is being done to build and develop the WBSC with the vote coming up on 8 September that will determine whether baseball/softball, wrestling or squash is added to the programme for the 2020 Olympic Games.
IOC leadership
Announcing the inaugural General Assembly, WBSC Co-Presidents Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter acknowledged the leadership of the IOC Sports Department in supporting and guiding the landmark merger of the international baseball and softball federations -- the first merger of its kind -- in the best interests of the athletes and the sports.
"We realise there were no prior cases to serve as a reference for this historic unification process, and that's why we are indebted to the IOC members, the IOC Sport Department and greater Olympic Family for their generosity with their time, knowledge and guidance in helping us to build the general framework for moving forward as one entity governing both baseball and softball," Co-Presidents Fraccari and Porter said.
"The coming together of our two sporting federations has already created important synergies that will provide a better distribution and use of our resources, planning and sporting infrastructure, which will help to sustain the athletes and long-term development of the sports," they added.
Baseball and softball's historic union comes at a time when the sister bat-and-ball sports are entering a new era of globalisation, with resources currently being invested in the development of the sports internationally. New venues are being constructed or renovated in Africa, across the Americas and in Asia, Europe and Oceania, also benefiting local economies.
"We are honoured and extremely encouraged by the invaluable support of our national federations who have given us their trust, confidence and support in proceeding in this new direction to create a better future for the athletes and sport," said Fraccari and Porter.
Olympic campaign
The WBSC merger has also provided a major boost to the ongoing campaign by the WBSC to participate at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Baseball/softball will set a historic precedent if included at the 2020 Olympic Games, establishing women's softball and men's baseball as equal partners in an Olympic sport for the first time.
The WBSC believes that baseball and softball's inclusion on the Olympic programme together will bring a significant number of new territories, fans, young people, spectators, and broadcast and sponsorship appeal to the Olympic Games, the Olympic movement and its partners.
Including a sport like softball on the Olympic programme, that is played by women across the world, will give women more opportunities to be empowered through sport, and help to create an Olympic Games that are more relevant to women.
The WBSC remains hopeful that the IOC will find a place for baseball and softball in the 2020 Olympic Games. But regardless of the decision on the sports' Olympic future, the new federation remains committed to realising progress in "day-to-day" activities and laying down a solid foundation on which baseball and softball's long-term development and future can be secured.
WBSC activities
In addition to organising four World Championships this year, naming its world headquarters in Lausanne and establishing various commissions, including an Athletes Commission, the WBSC has recently launched its official federation website, www.wbsc.co, and implemented stringent sports betting and match-fixing regulations into the WBSC Code of Ethics and Constitution.
An in-depth study is being commissioned as part of the WBSC's strategic plan to streamline the baseball and softball World Championships to optimise budget and development planning for WBSC member federations, while also maximising the market penetration and attractiveness of the events.
Accolades for Britain
And the WBSC leadership points to last month's inauguration of Great Britain's first baseball/softball dedicated venue to highlight efficiencies and cooperation already being realised.
"The project in the UK highlights the significant benefits and realities of baseball and softball's partnership and long-term sustainability," said Don Porter and Riccardo Fraccari, "and the birth of this new facility is a good indicator of the growing popularity of our game in all key regions such as Europe, including an innovative compact baseball/softball venue being constructed just outside Amsterdam."