Riccardo Fraccari

Riccardo Fraccari

CHAIR

ITA

  • President, World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)
  • Secretary General, Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF)
  • Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Esports Commission;
  • Executive Council Member and Treasurer of SportAccord.

EDUCATION

Professor of Organic Chemistry, Technical Institute Livorno.

Law & Legal Studies, University of Pisa.

LANGUAGES

English, French, Italian (native), and Spanish.

SPORT BIOGRAPHY

Riccardo Fraccari was elected first-ever president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) – the world governing body for baseball and softball -- in 2014. He led WBSC’s successful bid for baseball and softball’s inclusion at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Los Angeles 2028, fulfuilling one of the major components in his election manifesto. He has served in 7 Olympic Games as a baseball official.

In the recent years, under his leadership, the WBSC launched a new top-tier Baseball World Cup property PREMIER12®, which generated $131 million in brand exposure, No. 1 TV ratings in the host countries (Japan and Taiwan) and broke social media records for an international baseball tournament.

Another important milestone of his leadership in WBSC, is the development of a 5-on-5 street/urban baseball discipline that only requires a ball and a flat surface to play, Baseball5. This new discipline spread quickly in every continent and became officially an WBSC recognised discipline in 2018. One year later, in 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Dakar 2026 Organising Committee, decided to add Baseball5 to the Sport Programme of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

Fraccari led WBSC negotiations for a multi-year, multi-million-dollar agreement with USA’s Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ongoing operation and sanctioning of the World Baseball Classic and the inclusion of a qualification system that incorporates 12 additional National Teams, extending the WBC platform to 28 of WBSC’s Member Federations.

Fraccari was elected president of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) in 2009. As IBAF President, Fraccari immediately set out to hold merger discussions with the International Softball Federation (ISF) and oversaw negotiations to consolidate international baseball and softball to establish the WBSC in December 2012.

He also focused IBAF’s efforts on strengthening collaborations with the preeminent professional baseball leagues of the world, introducing new legislation before the 2011 IBAF Congress to add a new membership category for these prestigious entities to fall under the umbrella of the IBAF. To further protect IBAF’s intellectual property rights, Fraccari called on the IBAF to pass stronger regulations to ensure international club competitions are not marketed as National Team events.

The IBAF under Fraccari, established a Baseball World Cup for the Under-12 youth category in 2011, and the large success of the inaugural championship has quickly raised its profile within the IBAF tournament structure and has reinforced a commitment to youth and baseball’s short- and long-term international expansion.

Fraccari was re-elected in April 2013 as the international baseball leader.

Under Fraccari, WBSC established the first-ever "Europe" branded baseball team to compete in officially recognised international competitions, which set a historical precedent.

Fraccari also dedicates his time to serve on or chair other executive boards in world sport, including such roles as Secretary General of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), Executive Council Member and Treasurer of SportAccord and Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Esports Commission. He received the United States Sports Academy’s 2019 Eagle Award; and he is Honorary Teacher of the National Sports Academy “Vassil Levski” in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Fraccari began his career in sports leadership with the Italian Baseball Softball Federation in 1985 and served as the national federation’s president from 2001-2016.

HONORS

  • Gold Star of Sport Merit granted by the President of the Italian Olympic Committee.
  • Gold Collar of Sport Merit by the President of the Italian Olympic Committee.
  • Knight of Merit of the Italian Republic.
  • Inducted into the Hall of Fame of ABUA (Amateur Baseball Umpire Association).
  • Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Italian Baseball Softball Federation.
  • Winner of the 2019 Eagle Award winner of the United States Sports Academy.
  • Honorary Professor at the National Sports Academy (NSA) “Vassil Levski” - Sofia, Bulgaria.

PERSONAL LIFE

Riccardo Fraccari was born in Pisa, Italy on 30 May 1949 and resides in Lausanne, Switzerland. He works from the WBSC Headquarters in Pully, Switzerland. He is married to Giovanna, and the couple have a son, Andrea who graduated in law.