The WBSC Athletes Commission met at the Headquarters in Pully, Switzerland. Monica Abbott (USA, Softball), Timothy Atherton (Australia, Baseball), Randolph Oduber (Aruba, Baseball), Ayako Rokkaku (Japan, Baseball/Baseball5), Maria Soto (Venezuela, Softball), and Commission liaison Amy Park participated in person. Cole Evans (New Zealand, Softball) joined the meeting online.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari introduced the meeting.
"In recent years, we've made a concerted effort to increase the presence of athlete representatives, recognising the invaluable perspective they bring to the table. By placing athletes in key positions within the Executive Board team and across our Baseball and Softball Divisions, we've underscored our commitment to listening to the voices that matter most – those of the athletes themselves."
The President added, "At WBSC, adaptation and innovation are not just buzzwords; they're guiding principles that shape our every decision and action. Your insights, experiences, and feedback are instrumental in ensuring that our efforts are aligned with the needs and aspirations of the athletes we serve."
The Commission engaged on Wednesday in a successful inaugural edition of the Athletes Summit.
The Athletes intend to hold the Summit every two years and will focus on format changes to guarantee more time for participants' questions.
The Commission members also aim to enhance their role during tournaments while they also discussed different ways on how to potentially improve the WBSC/KONAMI World Rankings.
The Commission aims to have a greater impact on athletes' education and will explore which channels are more likely to facilitate direct contact between members and the world's athletes.
