THE IOC BALLOTS
August 13 2009
SPY has downloaded from IOC the ballots cast at this morning’s meeting of the Executive Board.
Note that rugby did not receive the re quisite 8 votes on the first ballot but on a second ballot went from 7 to 9. Softball only had one vote on the first ballot, and actually gained a vote on the second ballot, two votes which softball would hold through remaining ballots.
After rugby was selected, IOC board members were asked to choose a second sport. On two subsequent ballots, golf failed to achieve a majority, even after roller sports and squash were eliminated.
Finally, very telling, on the fourth ballot, golf had nine votes, karate 3, softball 2.
Softball fare better than baseball, roller sports and squash, but softball was never in true contention and always trailed karate, which at one point had more votes than golf.
Subsequent to the vote, some in softball sent emails suggesting that ISF could reverse the Berlin decision, ie, convince the full 107-member IOC to reject one or both of these sports – rugby and golf – and open the door for a reconsideration of softball.
Rugby and golf do not have a lock on October, when the full IOC meets. After all, when softball was eliminated at Singapore in 2005 voting, IOC President Rogge and others sought to have rugby and golf become the 27th and 28th sports for 2012 in London. But, neither sport gained a majority at that time.
Thus, it is conceivable that rugby and/or golf could fail to gain a majority in October. IOC members will vote by secret ballot, and as Rogge said this morning, the decision on the first sport offered (rugby) will not be announced until after the balloting on the second sport (golf). However, his statement (separate story) indicated that the only decisions to be reached on 2016 sports will be acceptance/rejection of the two sports endorsed today by the Executive Board. Indeed, some observers believe the rationale for the Berlin meeting, ie, considering seven sports but only recommending two for the full membership, was engineered by Rogge, well aware rugby and golf did not achieve an IOC majority the last time they were considered.
Nevertheless, there is little likelihood of softball being reconsidered for 2016.
Softball was a strong international program before 1996; it will continue to be so. USA spokesmen struck the right notes in discussing the future, not the past, and building on a core in which 130 countries play softball at some organized level.