President Fraccari: Exciting future for baseball and softball after amazing Olympic Games tournaments

With the curtain now drawn on baseball and softball’s return to the Olympic Games, I would like to reflect on the emotion of not only the last 19 days, but also the past eight years, since the International Softball Federation and the International Baseball Federation merged together to form the World Baseball Softball Confederation in 2013 with the aim of seeing baseball and softball return to the greatest multi-sport extravaganza in the world.

I am so proud of this moment, having celebrated not only the six medal-winning teams but all the teams who participated in Tokyo 2020 and the qualification process along the way. All the tournaments were full of great contests, plenty of drama and competitive matches, along with the incredible media coverage to match.

And it’s not only the on-field performances we mustapplaud. Imust pay my deepest respects to our Japanese friends for their commitment todelivering these Games under the most difficult conditions. They havesuccessfully safeguarded the Olympic Flame through one of its most difficultperiods, and for this, we are eternally grateful.

As
I watched the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games come to a close this evening, I felt anenormous sense of pride for all that we had achieved during our stay in Japan.
Our Olympic comeback, despite the circumstances, was as spectacular as we couldhave hoped for.

Myteam and I can go back home knowing that our sport, our athletes and ourmovement, made invaluable contributions to the overall success of these uniqueOlympic Games. From opening the Games’ competitions at the Azuma BaseballStadium in Fukushima on 21 July with women’s softball, to Eddy Alverezbecoming only the sixth Olympian to win medals at both a Winter and SummerOlympic Games, it’s safe to say that baseball and softball have left their markon the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Ithink you’ve seen that the ultra-competitive games, the excellent fanengagement and feedback from the athletes have proven once again how baseballand softball are a great fit for the Olympics. Not to mention the innovations,which the WBSC has introduced such as the pitching clock, two runners on fortiebreakers and TV cameras in the bases. This all in the aid to improve theaudience experience.

Theprovisional television viewing figures and social media and website numbers, aswell as the global media coverage, indicate that these innovations and thegames of baseball and softball have been a huge success.

The
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games also showcased the growing strength of internationalbaseball and softball as well as providing a great opportunity to welcome newfans to our beautiful game and inspire a new generation of stars who we lookforward to seeing going for gold at the Olympics again soon.

Lastnight, emotions were running high at the Yokohama Baseball Stadium as Japansecured the first baseball Olympic gold medal in its history. Another thrillingfinal against the USA, having also claimed gold against them in softballearlier on in the Games.

However,it wasn’t just the finalists who put on a brilliant show. All of the teams whocompeted at these Games were of the highest calibre and we were blessed withsome the best and most competitive international baseball and softball inliving memory. There’s just nothing quite like representing your country on thegreatest stage of all. The Olympic experience is unique and one which we willcontinue to fight hard for on behalf of our fans, our teams and theirathletes. 

Despitenot being on the programme for Paris 2024, there are many reasons to beoptimistic about our future within the Olympic Movement. Our newest discipline,Baseball5, will be making its debut at Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in 2026.
And with the Olympic Games soon returning to the birthplace of our sport at LA2028, we are confident that baseball and softball will be returning to theSummer Olympic Games soon.