International Softball Federation (ISF) President Don Porter will be going to the Kaohsiung World Games to promote softball’s bid for inclusion in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Six international softball teams from three continents are taking part in the 2009 World Games. Unlike other international sports tournaments, the event focuses more on the concepts of friendship, community cooperation, and unification, with athletes demonstrating these concepts through sport, which the ISF says fits in with the ideals that softball promotes throughout the world.
Porter said in a press release, “this is an extremely busy time for softball and the World Games provides a further opportunity to promote the BackSoftball campaign for Olympic reinstatement. Softball is extremely popular in South East Asia and Japan’s gold medal win at last year’s highly successful Olympic softball competition in Beijing has further enhanced softball’s profile and I have no doubt that, like in China last August, the spectators will create a festive atmosphere once again”.
The 8th World Games continues until July 26, bringing together almost 5,000 athletes from 105 countries.
