Tunisia to Host First-Ever WBSC Congress in May

Tunisia in North Africa will host the first-ever WBSC Congress, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced today.

The event will be organised in Hammamet, Tunisia 10-11 May 2014. 

The historic inaugural WBSC Congress will unite all national governing bodies of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the International Softball Federation (ISF) for the first time under the umbrella of the WBSC, as elections will be held to select all positions within the WBSC Executive Board, including that of the president.

Never before has an IBAF or an ISF Congress been organised in Africa — what is now a primary target of the WBSC’s growth strategy to deepen baseball and softball’s global footprint.

With the decision to award the Congress to Tunisia, WBSC officials have confirmed the focus will be on those emerging territories with high potential for development, and where baseball and softball can be practiced to activate the youth demographic, promote gender equality, encourage greater universality and where the National Federations can build and reinforce their National Teams for international competition.

“This is another key milestone — across many levels — for the global evolution of baseball and softball,” said WBSC co-Presidents Riccardo Fraccari and Don Porter, “and we are not only honoured but we are particularly proud to have Tunisia as the host of the WBSC’s very first Congress.”

WBSC’s Fraccari and Porter noted that baseball and softball’s union has resulted in increased opportunities and reach — and has raised the potential legacy and value of WBSC’s events so that new hosts like Tunisia are showing serious interest for the first time.

“We are committed to growing the appeal and relevance of baseball and softball in emerging territories across Africa and around the world, and Tunisia’s excellent bid is a key indicator that underscores baseball and softball’s continued worldwide emergence and highlights the attractiveness, benefits and realities of baseball and softball’s partnership,” said the WBSC co-presidents.