FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2006

ALL EYES ON BEIJING
World Championship Will Have Large Media Turnout

With all but one of the lead-up events finished, sights are now being set on next month’s International Softball Federation (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship in Beijing, China. Now less than 40 days away, the 16-team tournament will qualify four teams for the 2008 Olympic Softball competition and is the Olympic Test Event for softball.

ISF President Don Porter is in Beijing this week with ISF Secretary General Andy Loechner for meetings with the organizing committee. Mr. Porter said, “China is a good softball country, both in terms of their women’s national team as well as support for the game, so we’re looking forward to a great event next month.”

In addition to the anticipated strong spectator turnout, indications are that there will be a large media contingent on-hand to cover the sport’s marquee event of 2006. The media operations of the world championship organizing committee reports that well over 200 credentials have already been requested for the August 27-September 5 competition.

The tournament will be the first event played at the new softball stadium being built in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. The 16 participating countries are: Australia, Botswana, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, DPR Korea, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, and Venezuela.

USA is coming off a 5-2 title game victory on Monday night over Japan at the II World Cup of Softball, an ISF-sanctioned event. That avenged a Japan win over the Americans in last year’s Grand Final at the inaugural edition of that tournament. Australia won gold earlier this month when they beat Canada for the title at another ISF-sanctioned event, the 13th Canada Cup. This Saturday the women’s softball competition will get underway at the XX Central American & Caribbean Sports Games currently taking place in Colombia, where the host country, along with fellow 2006 ISF Women’s World Championship participant Venezuela, will be two of eight teams in action.

The ISF Women’s World Championship is played every four years. For more on this year’s edition, visit the official event website at www.2006softball.org.

 

The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women's fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 130 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.

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