On the Scene in Tokyo - Baseball, Softball Ready Their Vows

(ATR) Baseball and softball become one this weekend with a destination wedding years in the making.

Guests arrive Friday at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa for the 27th Ordinary Congress of the International Baseball Federation. Don Porter, longtime president of the International Softball Federation, is also making the trip to Tokyo given his role in a ceremony first suggested by IBAF counterpart Riccardo Fraccari back in 2009.

After follow-up talks at SportAccord 2012, the London Olympics and elsewhere, this rendezvous represents far more than an annual general meeting for IBAF's 118 member countries.

Sunday also includes the ratifying of a constitution creating the World Baseball Softball Confederation and the formal launch of its bid for the 2020 Olympics, including a WBSC website, logo, slogan, campaign theme and social media strategy.

"This is about far more than simply ratifying a legal document," says Fraccari, who shares the WBSC presidency with Porter for the time being.

"This is a major achievement in a two-year campaign that embodies the dreams of millions of men and women, and boys and girls around the world – from the professional leagues to the grassroots level – who want to play for their country in the Olympic Games, the pinnacle of sporting excellence."

A press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday will celebrate the union of baseball and softball, followed by a dinner cruise through Tokyo Bay.

In the meantime, IBAF will cover its bases for the months ahead, conducting regular commission meetings and continental confederation sessions Saturday as well as electing a new executive Sunday afternoon to serve until the WBSC can convene its own congress, likely not until 2014.

Fraccari, from Italy, is the only candidate for president. Israel Roldan of Puerto Rico, Paul Seiler of USA, Felix Wai Kwon Yip of Hong Kong and Edwin Zerpa of Venezuela are standing for secretary general along with a slate of nominees for first, second and third VPs as well as treasurer and members at large.

Also expected to attend the IBAF Congress are commissioners from Nippon Professional Baseball, who is hosting, the Korea Baseball Organization and others.

Whether leaders of Major League Baseball will show similar support this weekend – and in the weeks ahead – is the real question for the WBSC.

Fraccari and Porter are seeking assurances from MLB – as provided in 2009 for baseball’s failed 2016 bid – that some players would be released for the Games, a guarantee thought key this go around.

Baseball and softball are competing against climbing, karate, roller sports, squash, wakeboard, wrestling and wushu for what will likely be only one open spot on the program of the 2020 Olympics.

"The explosive potential of baseball-softball captured within the Olympics could lead to tremendous and unparalleled growth," says Porter. "In fact, we believe baseball and softball can become the next great global game and serve to instill the ideals of Olympism in the lives of many more millions of young, advanced people – and future generations – around the world."

Presentations from the eight shortlisted sports to the IOC Executive Board are scheduled for May 29 on the sidelines of the SportAccord Convention in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Following the EB’s recommendation, IOC members will decide which sport to include in the 2020 Olympics at their 2013 Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina this September.

Reported in Tokyo by Matthew Grayson

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