Olympic Week 2022: Baseball, Softball and Baseball5 attract keen audience in Olympic capital

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) was once again a proud supporter of Olympic Week with a baseball, softball and Baseball5 sport initiation showcase at the 41st edition held at the Olympic Museum and its surroundings in Lausanne, Switzerland from 16 to 20 October, 2022.

This was the fourth Olympic Week for baseball and softball, following appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2019; and the second edition for Baseball5 after its successful debut in the Olympic Week 2019.

Twenty-three different sporting experiences were offered in total to children in the age bracket 8-15, with over 800 children enjoying playing catch, T-batting, the batting cage as well as Baseball5 games at the baseball, softball and Baseball5 sport initiation showcase, thanks to the help of Italian Baseball5 National Team manager Maurizio Balla, WBSC Coach Commission member Andrea D’Auria and Lausanne baseball club Lausanne Indians who helped children learn the sports, with the support of WBSC staff.

President of the Lausanne Indians, Graziano Conti Rossini said: “It was a great opportunity for us to convey the interest of baseball & softball and Baseball5 to Switzerland. With the help of the WBSC, it was a great success. I was very happy to see that the children had a lot of fun and were interested in baseball, which I also love. I believe that the Olympic Week is a great opportunity for more people to join the Lausanne Indians and contributes to popularize baseball in Switzerland. I'm already looking forward to next year."

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Olympic Week in 2020 and 2021 were held on digital platforms. This year, 14,000 children enjoyed the return to physical sports initiations, with an average of 700 children participating at the festival each day. Eight new sports were introduced, including six Olympic disciplines such as Basketball 3x3, BMX and Skateboard.