WBSC announces new Order of the Golden Diamond awardees

During the 2025 Congress, the WBSC announced the recipients of the Order of the Golden Diamond, an award that recognises individuals and organisations who have advanced the ideals of baseball/softball, and whose outstanding achievements have expanded horizons, innovation and research within our sport.

The honourees are Ron Finlay (Australia), Jeffrey Koo (Chinese Taipei), Rommel Pacheco (Mexico), Bob Steffy (Guam), and the Pony (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) League, a WBSC Associate Member.

Ron Finlay is an incumbent Member at Large on the WBSC Executive Board and chairs the WBSC Legal Commission. The Principal and Chief Executive of Finlay Consulting, he is a Member of the Order of Australia, awarded by the Australian Government in June 2015 for "significant service to the law, particularly in the area of dispute resolution, through public infrastructure advisory roles, and to the sport of Baseball".

Jeffrey Koo Jr. stands as one of Taiwan's most distinguished business leaders and sports visionaries. Koo owns a significant stake in CTBC Financial Holding and is the President of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association and the Baseball Federation of Asia.

Taeko Utsugi has been a top softball player. As a coach, she led Japan to a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and to a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Olympics. She transitioned into administration and leadership, serving as the Vice President of the Japan Softball Association and Member at Large on the WBSC Executive Board.

Rommel Agmed Pacheco Marrufo is a former diving world champion (3-metre springboard). In October 2024, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appointed him as the new head of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE), succeeding Ana Gabriela Guevara.

Robert Steffy has served as the WBSC Oceania President since March 2023, succeeding the two co-presidents of WBSC Oceania - Rex Capil of New Zealand for softball and Laurent Cassier of New Caledonia for baseball.

Previous recipients of the Order of the Golden Diamond include Dale McMann (Canada, 2019), Ana Gabriela Guevara Espinoza (Mexico, 2022), Monica Abbott (USA, 2022), Yukiko Ueno (Japan, 2022), Jim Baba (Canada, 2022) and Chet Gray (Australia, 2022).

Last but not least, the WBSC Congress honoured the Pony League, a WBSC Associate Member, "in celebration of 75 years of dedication, commitment and promotion of baseball and softball".
An international programme, the league is designed to provide experiences in youth baseball and softball that will help young people grow into healthier and happier adults.