| The article is about the International Olympic | | | | ever covered as a journalist. |
| Committee's decision to remove softball from the 2012 | | | | Not knowing what to expect, I arrived in Columbus, |
| Olympic Games. | | | | notepad and camera in hand, with the naiveté of a |
| When the announcement came out of the International | | | | novice softball reporter. It didn’t take me long to |
| Olympic Committee meetings in Singapore that softball | | | | realize that softball had gone big time, and this was not |
| and baseball were being eliminated from the Olympic | | | | the softball that I knew. |
| program in 2012, many including myself, were stunned. | | | | I remembered softball as the old slow-pitch variety of |
| I could understand why baseball was eliminated. The | | | | my youth. The games played in Columbus were the |
| fact that Olympic teams do not include the best | | | | softball of the future. The girls were athletes, with the |
| players in the world was one of the major factors in | | | | skills reviling many professional baseball players. |
| that decision. | | | | However, that is where the resemblance ended. |
| Major League Baseball has no vested interest in the | | | | It is very possible that members of the IOC thought of |
| Olympics. Why should they? Participating in the | | | | softball and baseball as the same sport. It is also |
| Olympics would not give the teams, players, and | | | | possible that many of those same members had no |
| owners any benefits that would be tangible. Could you | | | | idea what softball was. |
| see the owners shutting down the season for a few | | | | If they did lump the problems of Major League |
| weeks so some of their best could participate? I think | | | | Baseball in with softball, there could be no greater |
| not! | | | | crime. |
| I think Major League Baseball’s transparent drug | | | | The IOC has stated on numerous times their desire to |
| policy might also have had something to do with the | | | | increase the participation of females in the Games. So |
| decision. | | | | why did they eliminate one of the most popular team |
| Participation in the Olympic Games would require all | | | | sports in the Games? |
| professional players submitting to year round, | | | | If any of the IOC members had ever picked up at bat, |
| mandatory and random drug tests. The Players Union | | | | stepped up to the plate and faced the likes of Jennie |
| would never go for that. | | | | Finch, Christa Williams, Lisa Fernandez, or even a Cat |
| My belief is so what. The Olympic didn’t | | | | Osterman, they would know the love, intensity, and |
| need major league players. Participate with those that | | | | competitiveness that many feel for the sport. |
| wanted to follow the IOC rules and to play for the love | | | | They would have understood that softball gives many |
| of the game. But none of these statements mean | | | | young girls and women the chance to achieve their |
| anything now. Baseball is gone from the Olympics. | | | | goals, and how their success on the diamond would |
| However, none of this relates to softball, but some will | | | | carry over to their everyday and future lives. |
| try to tell you it does. | | | | The IOC really missed the boat on this decision. I |
| In the nine years since softball was included in the | | | | wonder how many of those members would own up |
| Olympic Games, I have never heard of a softball | | | | to their true votes. The IOC did not release the voting |
| player testing positive for performance drugs. | | | | tallies or the outcome of the votes, reveling only that |
| Softball is participated in over one hundred countries | | | | the two sports were to be removed from the Games. |
| around the world. Girls are gravitating to the sport in | | | | I wonder why? |
| record numbers. The sport is gaining in leaps and | | | | If they truly cared about Olympic ideals, increasing |
| bounds at the local, national, and international level. In | | | | female participation in the Games, or even had a |
| the past three Olympics, all games were sold out to | | | | sense of fair play, they would reinstate softball |
| record setting crowds. | | | | immediately. |
| Prior to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, I was in | | | | Only time will tell if their decision was correct. I am sure |
| Columbus, Georgia for the 1995 Superball Classic. It | | | | with the passage of time, history will view their decision |
| was the first international softball tournament I had | | | | with the same disgust and disdain that it deserves. |