Softball is #OneStepCloser to seeing full inclusion into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. For the first time ever, the host organizing committee was given the opportunity to influence the design of the official Olympic Program due to the provisions of Olympic Agenda 2020.

Many expected the joint softball/baseball bid to be the favorite from Tokyo officials given both sports' popularity in Asia and Japan's gold medal softball win in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and many fans in the United States have been eagerly anticipating this announcement for weeks.

The softball/baseball bid was one of five sports and 18 events proposed by the Tokyo officials for inclusion in the Games of the XXXII Olympiad. The proposed inclusion will add 474 athletes to the Tokyo Games and will bring softball and baseball back to the Olympics since it was cut after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

In an official press release, the Tokyo committee emphasized the both the international and youth appeal of the five proposed sports and how their inclusion will promote the vision of the Tokyo 2020 games.

"This package of events represents both traditional and emerging, youth-focused events, all of which are popular both in Japan and internationally. They will serve as a driving force to further promote the Olympic Movement and its values, with a focus on youth appeal, and will add value to the Games by engaging the Japanese population and new audiences worldwide, reflecting the Tokyo 2020 Games vision."

Former Olympians and top collegiate programs in the country have been voicing their support for softball's inclusion today on Twitter.




As an Olympic sport, softball has had a brief history, being added as an official sport in 1996 at Atlanta and participating in four Olympic Games. The United States softball team won three gold medals and won silver medal in its Olympic history.

The softball/baseball joint bid has one more step before it can be granted status back into the Olympics for the 2020 games. The IOC will have the final vote at the Rio session in August 2016.

Stay tuned to FloSoftball for more news on the announcement and reactions from former Olympians and current national team players!