Chiefs from the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) are continuing efforts to return the sports to the Olympic programme, having been removed after Beijing 2008.

The WBSC said the World Championship, which saw Japan beat the United States in the final on Sunday (August 24), has shown the sport's potential.

It was held in the Dutch city of Haarlem, the first time the Championship has been held in Europe, "highlighting softball's continued expansion beyond traditional geographic boundaries as one of the world's most commercially successful, and popular spectator and participation sports for women, young girls and families", according to the WBSC.

With a review into the Olympic sports programme part of the Agenda 2020 reform process currently being discussed, the WBSC said it "remains committed to working with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and Tokyo 2020 organisers to earn the honour of having the sports included at the Olympic Games".

Softball and baseball was last played at the Olympics at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images



"We are developing the sports of softball and baseball in many areas such as the Muslim world, in Africa, and in Europe where interest, awareness, and club numbers and players are continuing to grow on this historic, sports loving continent, the cradle of modern sport," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.

"Japan, like many other countries around the world, is a baseball and softball nation, and we are doing all we can to maximise the added-value that our bat-and-ball sports would deliver to the Olympic Games.

"We believe that the deep national history, pride and passion for baseball and softball in Japan, at all levels of Japanese society, would enable these sports to bring great value and enhance the Olympic experience at the Tokyo Games and for the 2020 Olympic host nation of Japan."

The Agenda 2020 reform process is due to come to a head during an extraordinary IOC Session in Monaco on December 8 and 9.

The next major WBSC event is the Women's Baseball World Cup, which is scheduled to start on Monday (September 1) in Miyazaki, Japan.

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