FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2010

SOFTBALL MOVES CLOSER TO COMMONWEALTH GAMES PROGRAMME

PLANT CITY, FLORIDA (USA) -- The Commonwealth Games Federation’s Sport Committee and Executive Board have approved softball as a ‘category 2 sport,’ following a presentation last week. The promotion in classification means that Commonwealth Games host cities can now consider softball as an optional sport to add to the event programme, beginning with the yet-to-be-awarded 2018 Games.

There are ten core programme sports in the Commonwealth Games but a host city can add up to seven sports from those that the CGF has classified as ‘category 2.’

International Softball Federation Secretary General Ms. Low Beng Choo made the presentation last Monday (June 7) in London.

“This is another great step in our mission to establish softball as the most inclusive team sport on the planet,” said ISF President Don Porter. “Our sport has shown its universality by not only being in 128 ISF member countries, but through its appearance on the programme of so many multi-sport Games. We have long sought for the Commonwealth Games to be one of those though and today we are that much closer to accomplishing that goal.

“I thank the CGF Sport Committee and Executive Board for their trust and confidence in our sport and the resultant upgrade of softball to category 2. I would also like to recognize our secretary general for her focus and commitment not only to softball but to last week’s presentation.”

CGF Chief Executive Officer Michael Hooper told Mr. Porter that the Committee and the Board “were pleased to note the progress being made within your development programmes across the Commonwealth and the ISF’s continued commitment in this area.”

The ISF organized the 1st Men’s Commonwealth Softball Championship in 2006 in Australia.

 

About the ISF
The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and SportAccord (formerly the General Association of International Sports Federations). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 128 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.

MEDIA: For more information, please contact ISF Director of Communications Bruce Wawrzyniak at brucew@ISFsoftball.org or (813) 864-0100, ext. 229.