European Baseball & Softball leaders confirmed a new era for the sport on the continent with the approval of a new World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Europe Constitution, uniting the baseball (CEB) and softball (ESF) continental bodies into one organisation – WBSC Europe - starting from 2022 – at its Extraordinary Congress, which was held in Rome, Italy on Friday (19 November).
Following the creation of WBSC Europe in 2017, the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) and the European Softball Federation (ESF) continued to operate under the WBSC Europe umbrella. With the decision at the Extraordinary Congress in Rome, both the CEB and ESF will be dissolved at the next WBSC Europe Congress, due to take place in Bled, Slovenia in February.
With 45 votes in favour, five against and five abstentions, the European national baseball and softball federations approved the constitution that starts a new era for WBSC Europe in the Salone D’Onore of the Italian International Olympic (CONI), creating the unitary structure which will govern baseball and softball in the Old Continent.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari addressed the Extraordinary Congress and said WBSC Europe, with its new governance structure, is now setting standards at the continental level.
“With this Congress, Europe took another step forward and after a lot of work, this union of softball and baseball into a single continental entity takes place at the right time and in the right form,” President Fraccari said. “The timing is perfect as the sports movement is restarting following the Coronavirus pandemic which, as I said, is not over yet, but which we are addressing in much more effective ways. This allows us to look positively into the future.
“You all know my belief that baseball and softball together can create synergies that will aid the growth of our sport. A united body can optimize resources and drive better and more convenient management of its properties, events, and development programs.
Meanwhile, WBSC Europe co-Presidents Gabriel Waage and Didier Seminet emphasized the work that has been done over the last years to bring baseball and softball together and align strategies to be able to open a new chapter of the history of European baseball and softball.
The next WBSC Europe Congress in February will see the first Executive Board confirmed, made up of 13 members, including two athletes' representatives.
The official headquarters of WBSC Europe is established in Pully, Switzerland, the same city where the WBSC headquarters is located.
WBSC Europe Congress news:
- New WBSC Europe Constitution approved in Rome, paving the way for the future of European Baseball and Softball
- Sports world congratulates WBSC Europe for new unity
- WBSC briefs Europe on Baseball5, eSport and key integrity policies
