Lausanne, Switzerland --Â Â WBSC Global Newsletter - April 2020
Lausanne, Switzerland --Â Â WBSC Global Newsletter - April 2020
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WBSC GLOBAL NEWSLETTER
April 2020
WBSC aims to develop baseball and softball into one of the biggest sports in the world
While the majority of sports activities around the world are on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) takes a look at its development activities which are central to the organisation in terms of growing the sport of baseball softball around the world.
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New roadmap for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 being prepared
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee announced that a new roadmap to the Games in 2021 is now being constructed and is due to be released in May.The WBSC is committed to working with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 to streamline the planning and optimize efficiencies with regard to the staging of the Olympic baseball and softball events.
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WBSC supports Peace and Sport's International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
The WBSC commends and fully supports the Peace and Sport organisation and its efforts and philosophy to use sport for peace-building and positive social change. Baseball and softball have long been used to bridge the gap between countries, break social barriers and tear down stereotypes.
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WBSC Secretary General Beng Choo Low: Baseball and softball can help spread peace in the world
"The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is a good opportunity to celebrate the strength of the baseball and softball community, and the role of sport in general," said WBSC Secretary General Beng Choo Low, while adding "together, we can help each other #StayStrong, #StayActive and #StayHealthy".
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"The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is a good opportunity to celebrate the strength of the baseball and softball community, and the role of sport in general," said WBSC Secretary General Beng Choo Low, while adding "together, we can help each other #StayStrong, #StayActive and #StayHealthy".
Federation Focus: Zambia Baseball Softball Association spreading game with Baseball5 and int'l support
Softball was introduced to the country in the early 1970s by foreign workers in the Copper Belt Province. Baseball came in the 1980s thanks to Cuban medical doctors. Activity had almost ceased in the country before WBSC introduced Baseball5 in early 2019.
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Ensuring a level playing field: WBSC's Anti-Doping Commission Chair Gianfranco Beltrami
On Play True Day 2020, Dr. Beltrami reaffirms baseball-softball's commitment to protecting clean sport. It is during challenging times such as these, that we are reminded that health comes before anything else. And at the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the health of our athletes, coaches, officials and fans has always been at the heart of any decision we take
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#StayStrong
President Fraccari honours #WorldHealthDay by thanking nurses around the world
The theme chosen by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for this year's World Health Day on 7 April was: nurses and midwives, where their work is celebrated and world leaders are reminded of the critical role they play in keeping the world healthy.
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Venezuelan softball legend, Olympian Maria Soto: "Today we're all on the same team, wearing the same uniform. #StayStrong"
Soto, who played for the Venezuelan National Softball Team for 18 years and represented her country in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, joined the IOC's #StayStrong campaign.
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"#StayHealthy", says Massimo Fochi, the first pitcher to win for Italy in the Olympics
With Tokyo 2020 postponed and many across the world confined to their homes due to the coronavirus, three-time Olympian Massimo Fochi says "athletes can show everybody how to #StayHealthy during this difficult time".
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Baseball season in Taiwan opens amid COVID-19 as the first in the world
Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) Opening Day: The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions defeated the Chinatrust Brothers, 4-1 in 11 innings, in Taichung. The regular season will run through 14 October. The All-Star Game has been cancelled for the first time in 31 years. The Rakuten Monkeys had robot mannequins in the stands to give the appearance of fans to the players and the national TV audience.
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Japan's NPB plans to make a decision on opening date after Golden Week holidays
The 12 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) clubs held their sixth liaison meeting via video conference to discuss countermeasures to the COVID-19 pandemic. NPB Commissioner Atsushi Saito told the media that an opening date cannot be set while the country is under a state of emergency.
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Korea's pro baseball league KBO to open season on 5 May
KBO's opening day will be held behind closed doors. The league will consider opening to fans according to the development of COVID-19 cases. The teams will have to follow guidelines.
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Women's professional softball season opens in Taiwan
The Taiwan Professional Women's Softball League is the first professional softball league in the world to open its 2020 season. The live broadcast is available on FOX Sports Taiwan among other streaming platforms.
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Mexican Baseball League delays Opening Day
The season of the Mexican Baseball League (LMB-Liga Mexicana de Beisbol) has been postponed for a second time out of respect for player, personnel and spectator health and safety with regards to the coronavirus. Originally scheduled to begin on 6 April, the LMB postponed the season start tentatively until 11 May when the coronavirus pandemic loomed in the country in mid-March.
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Italy to open baseball, softball seasons on 14 June
The reduced schedules of the top divisions allow some flexibility and the start could be pushed until 12 July. No decision yet about whether fans will be allowed in the ballparks.
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Softball in China resuming after COVID-19
The Chinese Softball Association is leading the charge to return to the diamond with a system for online training and data management for the U-15 and U-18 National Team players.
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WBSC postpones 2020 Women's and U-15 Baseball World Cups, U-18 Women's Softball World Cup
Following a video conference with WBSC Continental Associations and Local Organising Committees, the WBSC announced the postponement of this year's WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup®, WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup® and WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup tournaments, which were originally scheduled to take place across August and early September, due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The WBSC announced the postponement of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup in New Zealand to 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Important health and safety measures, including travel restrictions, applied by governments worldwide to help stop the spread of COVID-19 have caused modifications to the global baseball softball events calendar. The tournament, which will be staged at ELE Stadium in Auckland, was originally scheduled for 20-28 February 2021.
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South Africa, Colombia complete U-18 Women's Softball World Cup field of teams
The WBSC announced that South Africa and Colombia will participate in the first-ever U-18 Women's Softball World Cup in Lima, Peru, and complete the field of teams of the 2020 youth global event. The 16-team event will be held at the Villa MarÃa del Triunfo Sports Complex, the venue of the Pan American Games Lima 2019 softball competition.
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Baseball5 World Cup: WBSC discusses qualification process with Africa
The WBSC held a first preliminary call with African Nations regarding the qualification process for the Baseball5 World Cup, which will take place in Mexico later this year. The inaugural edition will feature a World Cup and a Youth World Cup played simultaneously.
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2021 events calendar: WBSC conducts review of tournaments with Continental Associations
The weekly video conference is part of the WBSC's continued initiatives to maintain regular communication with its members and key stakeholders during this moment of coronavirus precautions and improve efficiency in its day to day operations.
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One month ago: Japan goes undefeated at WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020
One month ago, Japan claimed the youth world championship for the third time in history after a spectacular campaign in Palmerston North, New Zealand, going undefeated at the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020.
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Game Time Classics: Watch for free WBSC Baseball, Softball World Cup blockbuster games
The WBSC continued with GameTime Classics series, an initiative to re-stream full games of top international baseball and softball competitions since leagues and sports around the world have been almost entirely shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic
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News
Where are they now? Stars of the 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup
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A superb look back at some of top players who have featured at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup over the years and gone on to superstardom at the professional level.
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Softball Asia postpones WBSC World Cup qualifiers
Softball Asia has confirmed the postponement of key events in 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic including four softball Asia Cups which are qualifiers for WBSC events - U-12 Mixed, U-15 Women, U-23 Men and Senior Men.
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New dates, new name for The World Games in Birmingham
With the announcement of the shift of The World Games from 2021 to July 7-17, 2022, the IWGA and the local organisers have decided that the international multi-sport event will officially become The World Games 2022 Birmingham. Women's softball will be featured as a medal discipline in the multi-sport event for the third time in 11 editions of the World Games..
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Baseball5 climbing new heights in Australia: Uluru pitched as one of six locations for national championship
Baseball Australia is planning to hold its first-ever Baseball5 National Championship from 17 to 19 July 2020 and went creative when pitching potential locations.
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Italian Luigi Carrozza: 1996 Olympics leading hitter proud of record which still stands
Carrozza's .571 batting average topped Cuban sluggers Ulacia, Linares and Kindelán, and Japan's Fukudome and Matsunaka. Today he's back as a coach to the team where it all started in southern Italy.
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Richard Wang: The international voice of baseball, CPBL
Baseball fans around the world are tuning into the English broadcast of the CPBL, the only professional baseball league that is currently active amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
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WBSC Europe: World Cup Qualifiers postponed, Club competitions cancelled
Softball's 2020 continental national team championships in Europe have been postponed until further notice, due to the coronavirus pandemic. European championships serve as qualifiers for the various WBSC Baseball World Cups and WBSC Softball World Cups. European qualifiers for U-12 and U-18 Baseball World Cup have alco been postponed.
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Former big league pitcher Jon Moscot will be there for Israel when the Tokyo 2020 Olympics open next year
The former Cincinnati Reds pitcher started the game against the Netherlands at the WBSC Europe/Africa Olympic Baseball Qualifier. "The postponement was disappointing, but it was the right thing to do. Maintaining the same strong work ethic we are accustomed to, will help us get through this time."
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World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Avenue Général-Guisan 45, Pully, 1009 Switzerland
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