ATR First: WBSC President Unhappy With Tokyo 2020

(ATR) The President of the World Baseball/Softball Confederation (WBSC), Riccardo Fraccari, publicly criticizes the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee’s "inexplicable behavior" in rejecting the federation’s proposed format for the next Olympic tournament.

Fraccari expressed his opinion at the end of the extraordinary WBSC Congress held in Gaborone, Botswana last week.

Japanese organizers confirmed to Around The Rings their disagreement with the WBSC’s wishes for a "round robin" round with all six teams playing each other before the medal round begins.

"Following a discussion with the WBSC during the IOC Session in Lima, Tokyo 2020 has received a new proposal from the WBSC," Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya said.

"We have thoroughly reviewed and carefully considered their proposal though it did not match to our view in a fundamental element so that we have decided to stay in the original plan [of] the two groups of three teams format for baseball."

"It is no doubt that Tokyo 2020 and the WBSC share the same view on the value of the addition of baseball, one of Japan’s most popular sports, to the Tokyo 2020 Games program. Tokyo 2020 continues to work closely with the WBSC to deliver a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games and to contribute to development of the sport in Japan and beyond the country," said Takaya.

The Tokyo 2020 format will result in fewer games being played than the WBSC model and means that not all the teams will play each other. The decision does not sit well with Fraccari.

"We have to face the management of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which is resulting to be very problematic and demanding, mostly due to an inexplicable behavior of the Organizing Committee," Fraccari said.

"We have to communicate and organize the Olympic Qualifier, which not only will involve hard work for WBSC but also a great commitment for all of you."

During the Congress, Fraccari called for the implementation of all the reforms necessary to give added value to the baseball and softball events and to get the economic resources needed to make it happen.

In July in Lausanne, he presented a new logo and slogan for the Federation, "Game Time", as part of a project to create a more dynamic and modern WBSC on the road to Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 .

Baseball and softball, which were left out of London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, will again be analyzed by the IOC after the Tokyo Olympics. The choice of the Japanese capital as Olympic host at the 2013 IOC Session was decisive for these disciplines returning to the Olympic program.

The new WBSC constitution and the codes for the divisions of baseball and softball were approved unanimously during the forum in Gaborone.

Fraccari won, without opposition, the seat as head of the baseball division while Tommy Velázquez of Puerto Rico was elected to lead the softball division.

Written by Miguel Hernández

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