Baseball Makes its Case for Olympic Reinstatement

A team of six, including Baseball Federation president Harvey Schiller and Detroit Tigers center-fielder Curtis Granderson, addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Geneva on Friday, hoping for baseball to have a place in the 2016 Games. Two of the IOC concerns were the recent high-profile cases of drug use in Major League Baseball and MLB not allowing the best players to compete in the Games (because of the conflict with the regular baseball season). The baseball contingent vowed to address both issues.

Seven sports are competing for two open slots for the 2016 Games. In addition to baseball, the committee heard presentations from softball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby, and squash. Softball and baseball were eliminated from the Olympic roster after the Olympic Games.

The IOC Committee will meet next June and offer their recommendations to the full IOC membership, which convenes in October.