Back Softball
	Launch ISF Olympic Campaign June 27, 2007

Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2007 by Marco Stoovelaar

ISF launches Olympic campaign
Nederlands
ENSCHEDE (Neth.) - Don Porter, President of the International Softball Federation (ISF), on Wednesday-morning formerly announced the launching of 'Back Softball', the campaign to get softball re-instated for the Olympic Games in 2016. The initiative was presented during the World Junior Championships, which is currently underway in Enschede (The Netherlands).

...ISF President Don Porter... ...announces the lauch of Back Softball... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

,,This is an important announcement for the future of our sport'', Don Porter opened his remarks. ,,Softball is a global sport and attractive for young people. Therefore, we choose this World Championships to launch the campaign.''

Back Softball is a two-year initiative, which is supported by a logo which is a design of a softball in the five Olympic colors, above the campaign name. The ISF President also unveiled a ten-point blueprint for the campaign designed to improve the sport even further across the criteria the International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses to assess sports for the Olympic Programme.

The IOC meets in october 2009 in Copenhagen (Denmark) for the 121st IOC Session and then will vote on the sports to be included on the Olympic Programma for the Olympic Games 2016.

The ISF pledges to:

- Increase the number of national Softball Federations from 128 to 150 by 2009. Recently, Sierra Leone and Jordan applied for membership of the ISF.

- Increase the number of worldwide softball participants, especially youth, to an estimated 12.5 million, an increase of 25%, by 2009.

- Increase the number of federations across the Middle East with an emphasis on providing women and girls with an accessible and acceptable route to sporting participation.

The blueprint is based on the recommendations of the ISF Strategic Task Force, ad advisory group comprising of representatives from the Olympic Movement, business, media and athletes.

Don Porter stated: ,,The decision by the IOC in 2005 to exclude softball from the Programma for London 2012 was a wake-up call for our sport. We have since widely consulted the Olympic Movement and have taken on board some very valuable advice. Today is a reflection of that advice as we lay out our plans to meet and exceed the IOC evaluation criteria.'' Porter added that the ISF will have several campaign surprises in the next two years and will set up a Campaign headquarters in Lausanne (Switzerland). ,,Many people firmly believe that softball is a real asset to the Olympic Movement'', Porter said.

The ISF also states in the blueprint to:

- Increase the number of young people to play softball worldwide.

- Provide greater access worldwide to people with disabilities.

- Donate equipment and coaching where needed.

- Increase TV-coverage of softball worldwide.

- Create independent softball federations where possible to prevend confusion of then identity of the sport.

...Left to right... ...Saskia Kosterink, Ruud van Zetten, Don Porter, Dale McMann and Marlies Struyvé... (Photo: Marco Stoovelaar)

The ISF launched the campaign one week before the IOC Session of next week in Guatemala. The word 'back' in 'Back Softball' not only stands for the 'return' of the sport on the Olympic calender, but also for 'support' of the sport. ,,We have a lot to do'', Don Porter said. ,,We have to earn a place and will prove that we belong there.''

Dale McMann, to Co-Chair of the Strategic Task Force, added: ,,Today is the beginning of the restoration, we're taking the first steps toward re-instatement of softball on the Olympic Programme.''

Ruud van Zetten, President of the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association mentioned: ,,Changes, growth and improvement will be the key words.''

,,It is important to keep softball in the Olympics'', Saskia Kosterink, player of the Dutch National Softball Team, which qualified for the Beijing Olympics one-and-a-half week ago in Italy, added. ,,Not only for us who qualified, but also for players here on the World Championships, the young athletes, to give them the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games.''

Former Dutch Umpire Marlies Struyvé, who is the ISF Regional Umpire-in-Chief, said: ,,It is also important to train umpires for better exposure of the sport''.

(June 27)

For more information on the Back Softball campaign blueprint, go to www.BackSoftball.com