Dublin, Ireland – Softball Ireland today joined the European Softball Federation and World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in welcoming the recommendation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to propose adding baseball/softball among five new sports for the Games in 2020.
Tokyo 2020’s proposal for additional events must be reviewed, voted upon and formally approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next August ahead of the 2016 Games.
“The decision of Tokyo 2020 to propose Softball/Baseball for 2020 is an important step in the development of our Game in Ireland” said Softball Ireland President Colum Lavery. “Ireland took its first steps into International Women’s Fastpitch Softball in 2015 playing in the European Championships in Holland. Ireland will build on its strong debut and compete at the 2016 World Championships in Surrey Vancouver and we see these as the important foundation blocks of building a future Olympic Programme” added Lavery.
Should the August 2016 vote formally approve Softball/Baseballs inclusion in Tokyo 2020, Softball Ireland are determined to be will be in a strong position to compete at the international level whilst continue to ensure that Softball becomes a viable alternative sport for Women in Ireland” said Lavery
Media Queries please contact Colum Lavery – president@softball.ie
About Softball Ireland
Softball Ireland is both the representative organisation for players and the administrative authority of the sport in Ireland. It is a member of the International Softball Federation and the European Softball Federation.
We are a “not for profit” organisation and have no paid employees and rely on volunteers from our membership for the management and administration of softball in Ireland. Where necessary we outsource for the delivery of certain services.
Softball Ireland is managed by a Board that includes an executive branch consisting of a president, a secretary, and a treasurer. . There are approximately 800 softball players in Ireland playing in approximately 40 teams. The majority of teams are located in the Greater Dublin Area with the remaining teams spread across the country and playing in centres such as Belfast, Offaly, Galway and Limerick