WBSC approves new voting process to ensure athletes’ voice is enhanced in WBSC elections

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Executive Board has approved a new and enhanced voting system for the election of Athletes’ Representatives onto the Executive Board at the WBSC Elective Congress.

To ensure that the athletes’ voice is represented in all WBSC decisions, there are four Athlete Representatives on the Executive Board, one each from men’s baseball, women’s baseball, men’s softball and women’s softball.

Ahead of the next WBSC Elective Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in 2025, the process was updated, and at the Executive Board meeting WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “Athletes voted by athletes is very important to continue having their important voice in our organisation and for the further growth of our sport.”

Previously, voting was conducted by email, whereas the new process will see Member Federations selecting one of their Athletes' Commission members as an Athletes' Representative (or for a Federation without an Athletes' Commission, they can appoint an Athletes' Representative).

Once appointed, the Athletes'
Representative will oversee the completion of the ballot paper and provide asignature to confirm that the process has taken place. The National Federationrepresentative will then submit the vote at the Congress.

Only Member Federations who have notified the appointment of an Athletes' Commission member or Athlete Representative at least 10 days prior to the Elective Congress will be eligible to vote for the four Athletes’ Representatives on the WBSC Executive Board.

The conditions of eligibility remain thesame with only senior national team athletes, Athlete Representatives andAthlete Commission members able to vote.

Meanwhile, the new Commissions and Protocol By-Laws were approved by the WBSC Executive Board. This recognised the removal of the Baseball and Softball Division Boards and the creation of the Baseball and Softball Commissions, as per the decision of the WBSC Congress on 6 December 2023, as well as the confirmation of the Baseball Pro Leagues Commission following the decision at the previous WBSC Executive Board meeting on 11 May 2024.

The update to the Commissions By-Laws also now stipulates that all members (previously it was the majority of members) of Legal Commissions should be independent in order to increase transparency and avoid conflict of interest. 

In other business, the WBSC Treasurer's report on the audited 2023 profit and loss balance was approved, as was the addition of the Chad Baseball & Softball Federation as a new member and the dismissal of Mariana Softball Association as a member.

Headquartered in Pully, Switzerland -adjacent to Lausanne, the Olympic Capital - the WBSC is the worldgoverning body for baseball and softball with 204 National Federation andAssociate Members in 137 countries and territories across Asia, Africa,Americas, Europe and Oceania. 

The WBSC governs all internationalcompetitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees thePremier12, the World Baseball Classic and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15,U-18, U-23 and Women's), Softball World Cups, (U-15 Women's, U-18 Women's, U-18Men's, U-23 Men's, Women's and Men's), and official disciplinesBaseball5 (Senior and Youth World Cups) and E-Sports as well as Baseball,Softball and Baseball5 events at the Olympic Games.