Olympic Games: Baseball faces fight for survival

Baseball's international federation is seeking urgent meetings with baseball leaders around the world to save the sport from being excluded from the Olympics.

Baseball is one of three sports, along with women's softball and modern pentathlon, being recommended for removal from the Summer Games. Golf and rugby are being considered as additions. The International Olympic Committee executive board is studying the proposals made by its programme commission.

No final decisions will be made until the full IOC assembly in Mexico City in November, and all three endangered sports are vowing to fight to keep their Olympic status.

Aldo Notari, the Italian president of the International Baseball Federation, said yesterday he was "surprised and worried" by the moves to get rid of his sport.

Notari said he would call meetings with officials of international baseball, the US Olympic Committee, Major League Baseball, players' associations and pro leagues in Japan and other countries.

"All the baseball officials must work together to keep our sport on the programme," he said. "We must make IOC members understand why baseball cannot be excluded from the Olympic programme."

If the executive board backs the recommendation to drop baseball, it will go to a vote of the general assembly of more than 120 members.

Baseball, a former demonstration sport, became a full medal event at the 1992 Olympics. However, unlike other sports which have attracted the world's top professionals, Olympic baseball has failed to include top major league players, since the season overlaps with the games.

"We just really need sports to deliver their best athletes, and baseball hasn't been able to deliver," said Kevan Gosper, an IOC vice president.

Also being considered for exclusion are Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, equestrian three-day eventing, race walking, and some rowing events.