The ISF will provide equipment and softball coaches will undertake workshops in 14 different African countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sudan, and Zambia.

 

Additionally, the ISF will work with Olympafrica, a programe developed to help youngsters in developing countries with the spin-offs and benefits from Olympism. to help determine funding for new sports projects and provide additional equipment and support across the continent.

ISF President Don Porter said, “I am delighted that we have signed this historic agreement today.

 

"This is the latest example of softball’s commitment to promoting sport in developing communities.

“We have seen tangible evidence of the impact softball has had to help promote peace and understanding, friendship and respect and, of course, to promote sport, and I am confident that this agreement will leave a lasting legacy across Africa .”

Olympafrica executive director Thierno Diack said, “Olympafrica has seen how committed the ISF is to Africa in recent years and we’re proud to be signing an MOU with them.

 

"Softball is growing in Africa at a tremendous rate and this agreement will help us to build on that and use softball to promote sport across the continent.”

Olympafrica works with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to provide sports centres, coaching, and facilities to all African National Olympic Committees.

 

As a social development programme through sport, Olympafrica proposes a wide range of sports and socio-educational activities.

 

More than 250 activities are now carried out in Olympafrica Centers on a regular basis.

This is the second major development by the ISF in Africa in recent months.

 

In April at an African Softball Forum in Gambia the ISF committed $100,000 in grants in conjunction with development projects with the African Softball Confederation that include a programme at the university level through FISU (International University Sports Federation), and now with Olympafrica.
 

Softball is hoping that the announcement will help its campaign to get back the Olympic place it lost four years ago for London 2012.

 

The IOC's ruling Executive Board is due to vote tomorrow on which two sports they will put forward to be included in the 2016 Olympics.

 

Softball is among seven sports hoping to be elected.

 

The favourites are rugby sevens and golf.

 

The other bidding sports are baseball, karate, roller sports and squash.