IOC recommends baseball-softball (+4 other sports)for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
46,279
Surfing, karate, roller skating and sport climbing also on list


Since its not Rio related I think it would fit better here


IOC vice-president John Coates says the executive board was unanimous in its decision to recommend the addition of five sports to the program of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He says baseball-softball, surfing, karate, skateboarding and sport climbing were approved as a single package on Wednesday. They will be presented that way when the recommendation is put to a vote at the IOC general assembly in Rio de Janeiro in August on the eve of the Summer Games.

Coates says the five represent a "good balance between sports that are very popular in Japan and those better engaging youth."

He notes that baseball and softball have a huge following in Japan, and karate has a long tradition in the country.

Coates says sport climbing is an emerging sport in Europe, surfing offers a "whole new culture" to the Olympics and skateboarding is particularly appealing to youth.

He says NBC, which holds the U.S. TV rights to the Tokyo Games, has suggested holding opening skateboarding events on the eve of the opening ceremony.

Coates said the IOC's recommendation follows an agreement between the International Roller Skating Federation and the International Skateboarding Federation. He says the ISF will run the sport at the Olympics.




http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/olympics-baseball-olympics-2020-tokyo-1.3610745

 

moly99

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 28, 2007
939
Seattle
Six teams is an awfully low number for a serious tournament. Japan, South Korea, the USA, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and one at large team from the rest of the world?
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 2, 2006
10,736
NJ
I'd love to see baseball and softball in the Olympics. Gives me a goal for my 8 year old daughter.
 

Fred not Lynn

Dick Button Jr.
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2005
5,253
Alberta
Only six teams is tough...which is really only five once you give away a spot to the host. Europe will have to have a team (well, kind of, Kingdom of the Netherlands will snag that spot with a 2/3 Carribean team). That leaves four spots for Korea, US, Canada, Dominican, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico to compete for...and I am probably missing someone...