Baseball and softball are back on the Olympic programme after being absent since the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. The sports were therefore not at the Games in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. The U.S. was the second-most-decorated baseball nation behind Cuba when baseball was part of the Olympics from 1992 through 2008, earning three medals, including gold in … In 2013, the International Federations of baseball (IBAF) and softball (ISF) merged to create the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), which governs both sports. Skateboarding and sport climbing could take place in the heart of Tokyo and would not require the construction of permanent stadiums. The event was mixed gender and Shan became the only woman to … The I.O.C. Surfing continues to grow, and seeing it reach the Olympic level is really exciting. Baseball featured several times on the Olympic programme as a demonstration sport before being included as a medal event at the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992. The team with the most runs after nine innings of batting and fielding wins. The two disciplines were both previously Olympic, softball from 1996 to 2008, and baseball eight times as a demonstration sport between 1912 and its official inclusion on the programme in Barcelona in 1992. There is a smaller playing area and a shorter distance between the pitcher and batter. Cuba won the gold medal on the sport’s competitive debut and three times in total before it was removed from the programme following the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Baseball, for men, and softball, for women, are hugely popular disciplines in Japan. But Japan in any case qualifies automatically for the Olympic tournament as the host country. Baseball at the Summer Olympics unofficially debuted at the 1904 Summer Olympics, and became an official Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics.The event was last played in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with South Korea taking the gold; the sport was dropped from the Summer Olympic program, but will be revived as part of the program for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The bat is no longer than 34 inches (86cm) compared to 42 inches (106cm) in baseball. For the four remaining slots, qualifying competitions by continental zone will be held in 2019: Europe-Africa (the winner qualifies), the Americas (the top two finishers qualify), and Asia-Oceania (the winner qualifies). The national teams are among the best in the world. Thanks to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Olympic Agenda 2020, which offers each country hosting the Games the chance to add sports to the programme for that edition, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee naturally wanted to include baseball and softball. The sports last appeared at the Games at Beijing 2008, and the decision to bring them back was a home run in the Land of the Rising Sun.. Often dubbed America's 'National Pastime', baseball is also HUGE in Japan. The teams rotate between batting and fielding, with each session called an inning, and switch when the fielding team gets three opposition players out. More: Bobby Dalbec three-run homer lifts Team USA past ASU baseball … Softball is one of six sports that will rejoin the Olympic program in Tokyo in 2020. At its 117th Session in 2005, the IOC withdrew both from the Olympic programme, after three victories for Cuba, one for the USA and one for the Republic of Korea in 2008 for the men, and medals for the USA (3 gold, 1 silver), Japan (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze),  Australia (1 silver, 3 bronze) and China (1 silver) for the women. Softball is one of six sports that will rejoin the Olympic program in Tokyo in 2020. Marco Maria Scolaris, president of the Sport Climbing Federation, said it was “courageous” for Olympic officials to have dramatically changed the 2020 lineup, noting that he had not imagined that his federation, founded less than 10 years ago, would take part in an Olympics. Here, we take a look at the key points regarding baseball and softball at Tokyo 2020. Four other sports — karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing — will also be a part of the program in Tokyo. Baseball, for men, and softball, for women, are hugely popular disciplines in Japan. Baseball featured several times on the Olympic programme as a demonstration sport before being included as a medal event at the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992. The United States women’s softball team celebrated after winning the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, Australia’s Mr Baseball has set his sights on more Olympic glory, Africa’s lone MLB star swinging to inspire whole continent in Tokyo, Welcome to the fascinating world of baseball. At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Chinese athlete Zhang Shan won the gold medal in Olympic Skeet Shooting. The return of softball could be a gold medal opportunity for the United States, which won the first three Olympic softball tournaments, compiling a record of 24-4 before being upset by Japan in the 2008 final. Whichever city earns the right to host the Summer Games in 2024 will be able to propose sports of its own, which could be different and could replace some or all of the new sports set for Tokyo. Baseball was added to the Olympic menu in 1992, with softball following in 1996. Before the vote on Wednesday afternoon, some Olympic officials expressed concerns that Major League Baseball might not release top American players to participate in the Games.