The new WBSC urban and youth-focused discipline -- Baseball5 -- was presented today before the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) in Abuja, Nigeria. A WBSC working group headed by WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari introduced Baseball5 to the 54 ANOCA members.
“Special thanks to ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf for inviting us to update ANOCA members on Baseball5’s exciting future,” Fraccari tweeted. “The WBSC and ANOCA working hand in hand for Baseball Softball development in Africa and the inclusion of our sport in ANOCA multi sport games.”
The delegation spoke on Thursday about baseball and softball's new urban discipline, Baseball5, and its introduction in all major multi-sport events in Africa, ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
President Fraccari added: "Baseball5, which is fully in line with the Agenda 2020+5 of the IOC, the New Norm and the founding principles of the Olympic Movement, is an accessible discipline that meets all the criteria of a modern, attractive, inclusive, mixed-gender, youth-focused, urban sport.
"Therefore, the WBSC is aiming to take our sport to every corner of the world, and the African continent is a major target for us. We are convinced that ANOCA and the WBSC share the same commitment towards the Olympic Movement and its values, therefore we aspire to establish a fruitful collaboration between our organizations and introduce Baseball5 in all major multi-sport events present in this Continent to form and support African countries in view of Dakar 2026."
Baseball5 has already been a boost to baseball and softball development, particularly in Africa and Europe. The inclusion of Baseball5 in the Youth Olympic Games for the first time at Dakar 2026 in Senegal, Africa, is testament to the growing popularity of the sport around the world.
ANOCA is an international organization based in Abuja, Nigeria, which brings together the fifty-four African National Olympic Committees.
