WBSC Executive Board meets online to discuss the world governing body's new strategic plan

"We are finally approaching the first event," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari during his opening speech of the WBSC Executive Board, which met online on Friday, referring to the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, which opens on Monday, 31 May.

"It's been one year without events, and it's been challenging to organize this one. Still, we are all very excited. I do believe we will see some high-level baseball played."

Fraccari also thanked the president of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the director of CONADE (Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte) for hosting the Final Qualifier.
"AMLO is our global ambassador, and I will take my time to meet him, even if travelling during these times is a challenge," said Fraccari.

Talking about the challenges of the times, the WBSC President also said that the Tokyo Olympics would be a Games like no other edition.

"We will live in a bubble, unlike it happened before. Still, for the baseball and softball world, it will be a great event. We will also have the chance to showcase Baseball5 thanks to an event in central Tokyo."

The core of the virtual meeting, which featured a moments silence for WBSC Softball Division Executive Board member and WBSC Softball Hall of Famer Antonio Morales Arrieta from Colombia and Cuba's 2004 Olympic baseball gold medal manager Higinio Velez, who both passed away earlier this month, was dedicated to the WBSC strategic plan.

The plan has nine overall goals with the overarching priority making baseball/softball a permanent fixture on the Olympic programme. The other strategic goals are consolidating the Continental Associations, strengthening the WBSC governance and reputation, growing the sport and worldwide audience. The plan also includes enhancing transparency and sustainability, and securing a portfolio of global and recognisable brands as WBSC sponsors.

The Executive Board also discussed the evolution of eBaseball. Since the Board approved eSports as a new WBSC discipline at the end of 2020, the WBSC became one of the International Federations involved in the first-ever edition of the Olympic Virtual Series, with the baseball event having opened this past Monday, 24 May, in partnership with Konami while a WBSC mobile eBaseball gaming app is also in development.