With the support of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), together with WBSC Europe and host federations of WBSC Europe, the Ukrainian U-22 National Softball Team is playing a series of friendly matches from 21-25 June in Buttrio, Italy, as a stage of preparation for the European Softball Championship, which will be held in Kunovice, Czech Republic, from 26 June until July 2.
Most of the 17 players on Ukraine’s roster have been playing in Italy, Poland and Czech Republic during the regular season. Full roster here (in Ukrainian)
The world and continental baseball/softball governing bodies have granted financial and logistic support to the Ukrainian Baseball and Softball Federation to assist their national teams in participating in this year’s European Championships.
The Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS) is using the friendly series to celebrate the awarding of the hosting rights of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage and Finals, in 2023 and 2024, respectively, to be played in Buttrio and Castions di Strada.
According to FIBS, during a press conference (photo), the president of the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia Piero Mauro Zanin said: “I see here on the table the book dedicated to the Olympic team, ’Here and Now, Sisters’ and it is precisely the feeling of [friendship] that comes to mind when I see the girls of Italy and Ukraine together in this room. Sport can be the light that comes on in this darkness. We will use the media attention that an event like the World Cup will attract to affirm that the last word must be: peace.”
