IBAF TO ADD WOMEN’S BASEBALL TO OLYMPIC REINSTATEMENT BID

After their proposal for a joint Olympic Games reinstatement bid was rebuffed by the International Softball Federation, the International Baseball Federation has decided to add women’s baseball to their request to have baseball brought back in time for the 2016 Summer Olympics.


According to the IBAF, over 30 of their 128 member federations have a full discipline for women’s baseball, although most all have combined baseball programs for boys and girls through at least age 10. The IBAF is also in the process of finalizing a committee of sports executives to work specifically on the growth of women’s baseball worldwide, and claims they have received very enthusiastic support from Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball.

The Women’s Baseball World Cup was held last year in Japan in front of enthusiastic crowds as the host country defeated Canada for the Gold Medal while the United States beat Australia to win the Bronze Medal. Over 500,000 young women play baseball around the world.