Blind Baseball is a model of inclusiveness, according to the Thurpos baseball/softball club president Giuseppe Tocco. That's why he thought about Blind Baseball when he dedicated a day to promote equal opportunities.
The result is Diamanti Rossi (red diamonds), the first-ever Blind Baseball event involving women only. The event is sanctioned by the Italian Blind Baseball Association (AIBxC, a WBSC Associate Member) and scheduled for Sunday, 26 November, in Iglesias, a town in south western Sardinia, located about 60 kilometres from Cagliari.
Players, umpires and scorers participating in the Italian Blind Baseball League (LIBCI) will take the field at 10 am local time.
The list includes players Laura Di Palma, Annalisa Zappa, Alessandra Penna (Lampi Milano); Angela Cardia, Arjola Dedaj (Thunders 5 Milano); Eva Trevisan, Priscilla Brandi (Fortitudo Bologna White Sox); Sonia Fenoglio, Irene Ulivi (Blind Fighters); Vanessa Cascio, Marika Riggio, Irene Ribolla, Silvia Secchi, Ilaria Di Giulio, Francesca Carnati, Brigida Cirillo; Giuditta Carretti (Fiorentina BxC); Ambra Trefolello, Wendy Naupari Balbin (Umbria Redskins); Yeraldyn Patiño Rivera (Roma All Blinds); Emilia Ammirato, Luisa Colosi ed Emanuela Pianotti (UniMe Messina); Daniela Romano, Veronica Boi, Guendalina Serrau, Daria Tocco, Mariella Pisanu e Rosella Farris (Thurpos Cagliari); umpires Biancamaria Casiraghi, Cristina Alberton, Dorotea Di Giovanni, Gaia Rocchitta; scorer Elisa Saba.
The day is also meant to focus on femicide in Italy. The number of women killed in 2022 is 125, and each player will wear the number on their uniform.
"Inclusion and equal opportunities are values we highly respect and honour," stated AIBxC in a release. "The initiative's ultimate goal is to urge everybody to share this view."
