‘WBSC Oceania’ launched with historic merger of baseball, softball across region
WBSC Oceania joins African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) and WBSC Europe as the third joint continental body as the highest entity of baseball and softball in their respective territories. Baseball and softball leaders around the world voted to merge the sports at the world level officially at the WBSC Congress in 2014.
The Baseball Confederation of Oceania (BCO) and the Oceania Softball Confederation (OSC) completed a historic merger, launching WBSC Oceania at a joint Congress in Noumea, New Caledonia.
WBSC Oceania was established with 14 National Federations as the founding members, including American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saipan, Solomon Islands and Samoa.
WBSC Oceania will be based in Melbourne, Australia, and supersede the authority of BCO and OSC to govern baseball and softball across its regional jurisdiction.
“WBSC Oceania has on overarching role of promoting, profiling and developing the sport of baseball and softball in the Oceania region, while also using the sport as a tool for social development,” said WBSC Oceania leaders. “WBSC Oceania mirrors the newly developed structure of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).”
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “WBSC applauds the shared vision of baseball and softball’s leaders and National Federations in Oceania.
“This historic merger marks another key step toward baseball and softball’s continued evolution and advancement into a major global sport.”
WBSC Oceania joins African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) and WBSC Europe as the third joint continental body as the highest entity of baseball and softball in their respective territories. Baseball and softball leaders around the world officially voted to merge the sports at the global level at the WBSC Congress 2014 in Hammamet, Tunisia.
At the Inaugural WBSC Oceania Congress in Noumea, with WBSC Secretary General Beng Choo Low present, members of the WBSC Oceania Transition Executive Board were confirmed to 2021.
Current BCO and OSC presidents Laurent Cassier and Rex Capil will transition into the roles WBSC Oceania VP of Baseball and the VP of Softball.
WBSC Oceania Executive
President – Co-chaired between the two Vice Presidents until the next elections in 2021.
Vice President of Baseball – Laurent Cassier
Vice President of Softball – Rex Capil
Secretary General /Treasurer – Chet Gray
Newly elected Executive Members:
- Inoke Niubalavu – Fiji
- Ralph Tarasomo – Papua New Guinea
- Cam Vale – Australia
- Vaughan Wyber – New Zealand
