Softball at the Summer Olympics

Softball at the Summer Olympics
Governing body	ISF
Events	1 (women)
Games
1896 • 1900 • 1904 • 1908 • 1912 • 1920 1924 • 1928 • 1932 • 1936 • 1948 • 1952 1956 • 1960 • 1964 • 1968 • 1972 • 1976 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1996 • 2000 2004 • 2008 • 2012
Medalists

Softball was introduced as an Olympic sport for women (only) in the 1996 Summer Olympics. On July 11, 2005, the IOC voted to drop baseball and softball from the Olympic program for 2012,^[1] a decision that was reaffirmed on February 9, 2006.^[2] It was officially decided in August 2009 at IOC Board meeting in Berlin that it will not be included in the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[3]

On April 1, 2011, the International Softball Federation and International Baseball Federation announced they were preparing a joint proposal to revive play of both sports at the 2020 Summer Olympics.^[4]

However, in August 2011 the Olympic news outlet Around the Rings reported that according to ISF president Don Porter, the ISF and the IBAF will not rush into an Olympic proposal. "In my discussions with the IOC, I was informed it’s not an urgent decision that we have to make today, tomorrow, next month or even next year," he said. "We haven’t completely said no, but we are waiting to see what our overall membership thinks about whether it’s to our advantage to be working together."

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States (USA)	3	1	0	4
2	Japan (JPN)	1	1	1	3
3	Australia (AUS)	0	1	3	4
4	China (CHN)	0	1	0	1

Medalists

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1996 Atlanta	United States	China	Australia
2000 Sydney	United States	Japan	Australia
2004 Athens	United States	Australia	Japan
2008 Beijing	Japan	United States	Australia

Participating Nations

Nation	1996	2000	2004	2008	Years
Australia	3	3	2	3	4
Canada	5	8	5	4	4
China	2	4	4	5	4
Chinese Taipei	6	-	6	6	3
Cuba	-	7	-	-	1
Greece	-	-	7	-	1
Japan	4	2	3	1	4
Italy	-	5	8	-	2
Netherlands	7	-	-	8	2
New Zealand	-	6	-	-	1
Puerto Rico	8	-	-	-	1
United States	1	1	1	2	4
Venezuela	-	-	-	7	1
Total Nations	8	8	8	8

See also

• Baseball at the Summer Olympics
• List of Olympic venues in discontinued events

References

1. ^ Associated Press (9 July 2005). "They'rrre out! Olympics drop baseball, softball". NBC Sports. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8504326/site/21683474/print/1/displaymode/1098/. Retrieved 15 August 2008. "Rogge has basically conspired against the sports to get them removed" 
2. ^ de Vries, Lloyd (9 February 2006). "Strike 3 for Olympic Baseball". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/09/sportsline/main1300205.shtml. Retrieved 15 August 2008. 
3. ^ Wilson, Stephen (August 13, 2009). "Golf, rugby backed by IOC board for 2016 Games". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2009656175_apolyiocnewsports.html. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
4. ^ "Baseball, softball consider joint 2020 Olympic bid". Yahoo Sports. Associated Press. April 1, 2011. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110401/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_baseball_softball_bid_1. Retrieved 2011-04-05.