Softball out of the Olympics?

[Dakota]

The Malaysia Star is reporting that to make room for three new sports (golf, wushu, a form of Chinese martial arts, and seven-a-side rugby), the 2008 Olympics in China will remove softball, baseball, and the triathlon.

Check out the article...

Three sports on way out, Tiger show is on

Anyone know how many nations field Olympic softball teams?

Any ideas on how to help stave this off?

[Martin T.]

The Olympic group of teams is made up of the first four teams finishing in the ISF World Championships, the host nation and the remaining places from qualifiying regions play-offs. The regional teams may come from amy of the 127 registered ISF countries (Yes, 127!).

However, there are only a dozen or so teams that could be considered competitve at international play which does limit the overall standard iof play, but it is improving siginificantly since softball became and olympic sport!

The teams so far are:
USA
Japan
China
Chinese Taipei
Greece (Host Nation)

Play offs in the 'regions' of Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, Oceania and Europe will determine (most likely) that at least Canada, Holland and Australia will also make it - not sure about the others...

How can we make a difference?
Tell EVERYONE you know about this site:
http://www.suggestions.olympic.org/q...tro.aspx?LN=EN

It is the IOC site "Public Suggestions" Page. I have just lodged an idea titled "Keep Softball In the Olympics!" I encourage you all to do likewise.



[Edited by Martin T. on Aug 27th, 2002 at 08:18 PM]

[Dakota]

I agree that we need to act to try to stop this. Not having an Olympic fastpitch team will hurt the sport as a whole.

I just want to make sure there is no misunderstanding...

The article is talking about taking softball out of the 2008 Olympics in China, NOT out of the 2004 Olympics in Greece.

As the host country, China, I believe has the right to add a demonstration sport, and if they are one of the few truely world-class softball teams, then if they decide to try to get softball removed, they would seem to have some influence here, if only because if they withdraw their team, they can damamge the competitiveness of the Olympic event.

This post has been up for a day now, and only one reply. I would have thought there would be some International qualified umpires on this board who might want to weigh in.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Martin T.
The Olympic group of teams is made up of the first four teams finishing in the ISF World Championships, the host nation and the remaining places from qualifiying regions play-offs. The regional teams may come from amy of the 127 registered ISF countries (Yes, 127!).

However, there are only a dozen or so teams that could be considered competitve at international play which does limit the overall standard iof play, but it is improving siginificantly since softball became and olympic sport!

The teams so far are:
USA
Japan
China
Chinese Taipei
Greece (Host Nation)

Play offs in the 'regions' of Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, Oceania and Europe will determine (most likely) that at least Canada, Holland and Australia will also make it - not sure about the others...

How can we make a difference?
Tell EVERYONE you know about this site:
http://www.suggestions.olympic.org/q...tro.aspx?LN=EN

It is the IOC site "Public Suggestions" Page. I have just lodged an idea titled "Keep Softball In the Olympics!" I encourage you all to do likewise.



[Edited by Martin T. on Aug 27th, 2002 at 08:18 PM]

While the effort is valiant, the only thing which is going to keep softball in the Olympics is China allowing it to remain. And the last time I checked, China has very little regard for public opinion.

I'm sort of surprised that Greece picked it up for the next Olympics. There was no softball team at the time and required the construction of a new complex that will probably be scrapped when the games are over.

There is going to have to be some very serious politicking to save softball in the Beijing games.