Statement from Amateur Softball Association Regarding IOC Vote

[fastball]

Subject: Statement from Amateur Softball Association Regarding
IOC Vote 
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 12:15:42 -0600 
From: "Brian McCall" <bmccall(at)softball.org> 



Everyone,

 

Like most of you, I am in Torino at the Winter Olympics. I am
working as one of the press officers for Speedskating until the
27th but can be reached in Torino via cell phone at (39) 348-453-7752.
My normal softball email is still valid while on the road – bmccall at softball.org.
If you need anything else feel free to contact my assistant Holly
Kripokavich at 405-425-3431 or by email at hollyk at softball.org.

 

Thanks!

 

Brian McCall

Director of Communications

ASA/USA Softball

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Statement From the Amateur Softball Association Regarding IOC
Decision

 

“We are disappointed the IOC elected not to reconsider their
decision last July to eliminate softball from the 2012 Olympic
Program.”

“Their decision was procedural in nature and should have been
focused on the merits of our sport. Softball is played in 130
countries worldwide and nearly half of those countries compete
in order to gain berths in World Championship and Olympic competitions.
 Softball has continued to send its best athletes to the Olympics
and women’s softball athletes have had zero positive drug tests
since the sports inception.”     


“It’s a sad day for everyone in our sport who has dedicated their
lives to getting softball in the Olympic Games. It took over
30 years to get softball on the Olympic program the first time
so we are going to do whatever is necessary to see that it is
back on the program in 2016.” 

“Softball has been recognized as an Olympic sport since 1991
and was included on the Olympic program in 1996. The sport is
currently at an all-time high in world wide participation and
television coverage. In an effort to continue the growth of softball,
the Amateur Softball Association will be hosting the II World
Cup of Softball, July 13-17 in Oklahoma City, Okla. The top teams
in the world will be participating. Games from World Cup II will
be televised not only domestically on ESPN but also internationally
via a partnership with ESPN International.”

 

“The most recent decision by the IOC has placed an even greater
importance on the World Cup.  Softball fans across the globe
can expect this event to take center stage in 2006 and beyond.
 We plan to work closely with our broadcast partners to ensure
a worldwide audience and are confident something special will
be planned in 2012”.    

“The Amateur Softball Association has historically taken a leadership
position in times of both joy and heartache.  This recent IOC
decision will make us fight even harder” 

“It is important to remember that softball is still part of the
Olympic Games in 2008 and has an opportunity to demonstrate to
the IOC Members that it is deserving of a place in the Olympic
Games in 2016.” 

 

About ASA 

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National
Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member
of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one
of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions
competition in every state through a network of 88 local associations.
The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days
to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more
than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com.


About USA Softball 

USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the
ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior
Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible
for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams
to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA
Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s
sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive
gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have
also won seven World Championship titles including the last five
consecutive. For more information about USA Softball, please
visit www.usasoftball.com 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Statement From USOC Chairman of the Board Peter Ueberroth Regarding
the Status of Softball and Baseball on the 2012 Olympic Program

"The dreams of young people from around the world who aspire
to compete in the Olympic Games in softball and baseball were
dealt a setback today.

We are disappointed the IOC chose to not reconsider its decision
to eliminate these sports from the 2012 Olympic Games program.

However, we will continue working with the international federations
for these two sports, along with other countries, to see that
they are reinstated to the Olympic program at the earliest opportunity."





 


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