On June 13th, 1991, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that women's softball would be added to the program of the Summer Olympics. Our sport made its debut at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA. Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, and the USA competed for the title of Olympic Champion. After nine days of games, the United States took the gold, China the silver and, Australia the bronze.

Women's softball has then appeared in 2000 in Sydney, Australia, in 2004 in Athens, Greece, and, in 2008 in Beijing, China. After 12 years, we would have seen softball at Tokyo 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will have to wait until 2021, when Team Italy will represent Europe at the XXXII Olympic Games.

Happy World Softball Day!

/ Elda Ghilardi