Brazil's Ministry of Citizenship, a cabinet-level federal ministry created in 2019 by the fusion of the Ministry of Social and Agrarian Development and Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Sports, approved a partnership with the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation (COB, Confederação Brasileira de Beisebol e Softbol) for the selection and training of 50 athletes in the 13-17 age bracket. The government is is investing approximately US$100k in the baseball development project.
The 50 athletes will reside at the Baseball Training Center in Ibiúna, State of Sao Paulo, and will have to attend a regular school cycle.
"This project aims at inverting the investment pyramid and is in search of promoting grass-root activities," commented Bruno Souza, National Secretary for High-Performance Sports at Special Sport Secretariat of the Ministry of Citizenship.
The training center in Ibiúna is the home of the Brazilian Baseball and Softball National Teams. The complex includes three baseball fields, a covered gym, a weight room, a physiotherapy room, apartments and a dormitory.
Brazil is at No. 21 in men's baseball, at No.14 in women's softball and No.45 in men's softball in the WBSC World Rankings.
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