The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) unveiled the line-up of the world’s best-ranked nations that have qualified for the first-ever “Premier 12” — the new flagship pro baseball world championship that will feature the National Teams from baseball’s 12 highest-ranked nations and become baseball’s highest-ranked international competition, awarding US$ multi-millions in prize money.
The Top 12 nations that have secured a place in the inaugural Premier 12 in 2015 is headlined by:
World Baseball Softball Confederation
No. 1 Japan,
No. 2 USA
No. 3 Cuba
No. 4 Chinese Taipei
No. 5 Netherlands
No. 6 Dominican Republic
No. 7 Canada
No. 8 South Korea
No. 9 Puerto Rico
No. 10 Venezuela
No. 11 Italy
No. 12. Mexico.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari celebrated baseball’s first-ever collection of Premier 12 nations.
“WBSC congratulates the 2015 Class of Premier 12 nations and the athletes who helped lift their countries to be among the Top 12,” Fraccari said. “These nations represent baseball’s best that will unite and deliver an exciting — and unmatched competitive parity — at the inaugural Premier 12. Any one of these elite nations can come out victorious in 2015 and leave The Premier 12 as the reigning World Champion.”
The unveiling of baseball’s most powerful bloc of nations follows the end-of-the-year calculation of the Official 2014 WBSC World Baseball Rankings, as the final standings of the rankings in the year preceding The Premier 12 serve as the exclusive qualifying method into the international baseball showcase.
Phenom Shohei Ohtani (100+ mph fastball with NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters) will likely be one of the Samurai selected to help Japan battle for the 2015 Premier 12 World Title.
The release of the 2014 WBSC World Baseball Rankings also marks the historic rise of the Japanese National Baseball Team, Samurai Japan, which for the first time ever is the world No. 1, surpassing 2013 leader USA.
The inaugural Premier 12 participants will represent a global spread that includes the entire western hemisphere — North-, Central- and South America, and the Caribbean — Asia, and Northern and Southern Europe. Oceania’s No. 14 Australia, which had been ranked as high as No. 10 in 2012, was just 8.96 rankings points behind No. 12 Mexico.
All WBSC’s world championship platforms — from the U-12, U-15, U-18 and U-21 Baseball World Cups to the 2013 World Baseball Classic and sanctioned/recognised international competitions have shaped the rankings and qualification into the 2015 Premier 12.
The Premier 12 logo, and 2015 tournament dates, are expected to be unveiled at an upcoming press conference.
Following the 2015 Premier 12, the world championship platform that unites the world’s 12 best nations will be rolled out every four years.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II today became the first recipient of the FEI Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of her leading role as supporter of equestrian sport throughout her reign as British monarch.
The award was presented to Her Majesty by FEI President HRH Princess Haya at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace this afternoon in the presence of former FEI President the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Phillip, and Keith Taylor, Chairman of the British Equestrian Federation.
Horses featured in The Queen’s life from a very young age. She had her first riding lesson in the private riding school at Buckingham Palace Mews in January 1930, when she was just three years old and was given her first pony, the Shetland mare Peggy, by her grandfather King George V on her fourth birthday.
One of The Queen’s favourite horses was the mare Burmese, a present from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1969 when they came to perform at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The Queen rode Burmese side-saddle for 18 years at the Trooping the Colour ceremony, which celebrates the Sovereign’s birthday.
The President’s Trophy, presented by Prince Philip for many years to the winning country in the FEI Nations Cup™ series, was a bronze of the Queen and Burmese.
Queen Elizabeth II is presented with the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) lifetime achievement award for her devotion to equestrian sport by Princess Haya of Jordan (left), at Buckingham Palace, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 26, 2014. Photo credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
In the Thoroughbred world, horses bred by The Queen have won more than 1,600 races, and, of the British Classics, only the Epsom Derby still eludes Her Majesty. She also breeds Shetland, Highland and Fell ponies to ensure the traditional bloodlines in these native breeds are preserved and enhanced.
As well as The Queen’s enduring love of racing, breeding and equestrian sport, the British Royal Family has a long history linked to the horse.
The Duke of Edinburgh played polo until 1970 and then took up carriage driving the following year, and also played a key role in compiling rules for the international sport early in his 22-year tenure as FEI President.
The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and two of The Queen’s grandsons, Princes William and Harry all play polo. The Queen also plays host to the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show, which features international Jumping, Dressage and Driving, and where many of the Queen’s home-bred native ponies line out in the showing classes.
Equestrian sport celebrated 100 years in the Olympic Movement at London 2012, where The Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips claimed team silver in Eventing.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, look at the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) lifetime achievement award for her devotion to equestrian sport, presented to her by Princess Haya of Jordan and Keith Taylor, President of the British National Equestrian Federation, at Buckingham Palace, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 26, 2014. Photo credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
Zara Phillips won team and individual gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2006 and was also crowned European champion in 2005, following in the footsteps of her mother, The Princess Royal, who won the European title in 1971 on Doublet, a horse bred by the Queen out of one of Prince Philip’s polo ponies. Princess Anne, also a former FEI President, is an IOC Member and President of the British Olympic Association, and competed at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976, the first member of the British Royal Family to compete at Olympic level.
The Queen’s cousin Margaret Rhodes, interviewed last year for a BBC documentary, The Queen: A Passion For Horses, believes that the importance of horses in The Queen’s life cannot be overestimated: “When she became Queen, she had to sacrifice an awful lot of emotions and thoughts of the future, but with horses it’s another world in that it reduces you to just the person in relation to the animal, and you’re not a Queen, you’re just a human being.”
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is a life-long lover of horses who has inspired millions around the world and I am honoured to be able to present the first-ever FEI Lifetime Achievement award to Her Majesty on behalf of the FEI today”, HRH Princess Haya said after the presentation in The Queen’s audience room at Buckingham Palace.
“She is a true horsewoman, who still rides whenever State business allows, and her knowledge of breeding and bloodlines is incredible. The bond between The Queen and horses is truly extraordinary and I can’t think of anyone more fitting to receive this very special FEI award in the Year of the Horse. I am very proud to be giving this award on behalf of the FEI family.”
“Horses have played such a huge part in the life of The Queen, and it is a family passion shared particularly with her husband and the two world-class champions in her daughter and granddaughter”, said Keith Taylor. “The Queen has an incredible in-depth knowledge of breeding, both Thoroughbreds and native ponies, and is patron of the British Horse Society, the Fell Pony Society, the Highland Pony Society, the Shire Horse Society, the Welsh Pony and Cob Society and the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. It’s impossible to think of the Royal Family without thinking of horses. We are truly blessed to have a sovereign who values the horse and its many types so highly.”
Queen Elizabeth II (second right) and the Duke of Edinburgh (right), greet Princess Haya of Jordan and Keith Taylor (left), President of the British National Equestrian Federation, as they present the Queen with the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) lifetime achievement award for her devotion to equestrian sport, at Buckingham Palace, London. Photo credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
The FEI Lifetime Achievement award was created by Princess Haya in 2014, her final year as FEI President, to acknowledge an individual who has inspired generations across the global equestrian community. Recipients of this award are recommended by the FEI Executive Board, and the FEI Bureau was delighted that the first-ever award has gone to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The award is a stunning white gold and diamond brooch of nine interlinked horseshoes, created especially for today’s presentation, and mirroring the insignia of the FEI Awards.
The FEI Lifetime Achievement Award is part of this prestigious scheme, which was launched in 2009 to reward excellence, commitment, dedication and courage. Other global equestrian heroes will be honoured at a glittering Gala Dinner during the FEI General Assembly in Baku, Azerbaijan on 14 December. The shortlist of nominees and full information on the FEI Awards 2014 and past winners is available at http://www.feiawards.org.
NEC WHEELCHAIR TENNIS MASTERS, LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN RESULTS – 26 NOVEMBER 2014
Please find below the latest results from the 2014 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London on 26-30 November.
The ITF’s year-end wheelchair tennis event features eight men, eight women and four quad players.
The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters was initiated in 1994 to honour the top players who have shown dedication and professionalism to the sport, and forms the climax to the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, that consists of over 160 events in more than 40 countries.
In the men’s and women’s events, eight players compete in two round-robin groups, with the top two players in each group reaching the semifinals.
In the quad event, four players compete in one round-robin group, with the top two players contesting the final.
Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, High Chief Emeka Inyama
Chairman of the NFF Marketing, Sponsorship and Television Advisory Committee, High Chief Emeka Inyama and three other eminent Nigerians have been invited by the Confederation of African Football to play important roles at the 30th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea.
NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, was earlier appointed member of the Organising Committee for the championship, which will be staged in four Equatorial Guinean cities 17th January – 8th February next year.
Paul Bassey
Also invited is Etubom Paul Bassey, who served blamelessly on the CAF Media Committee for several years before becoming a General Coordinator. He will serve as a Security Officer at the tournament.
Screen diva and respected administrator, Aisha Falode, who like Inyama is a member of the CAF Media Committee, will serve as media coordinator during the three–week, 16–nation party, like Inyama.
Samson Adamu, the organiser of the annual COPA Lagos Invitational Beach Soccer Tournament, will be an Assistant General Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea.
Africa basketball governing body FIBA Africa has released names of officials for the 20th edition of the Africa Champions Cup for Women billed for Sfax, Tunisia from November 28 through December 7.
FIBA Africa Technical Commission president Abderaouf Menjour Tunisia), Madam Ben Said Sahoula (Tunisia) and Abdendi Hanafi from Morocco will serve as technical commissioners while Tunisian Nourredine Taboubi will serve as referee supervisor.
French-born Arnaud Sevaux will over-see the statistician with FIBA Africa Secretariat head of media and communication, Lamine Badiane heads the media department of the week-long competition while FIBA Africa Secretariat head of competition Julien Farran is the technical delegate.
Also on the list are three neutral referees and ten accompanying referees are listed below.
The neutral referees include:
Zouzou Nadège (Cote d’Ivoire)
Sarty Nghixulfwa (Namibia)
Chahinaz Bousseta (Morocco)
While the accompanying referees are:
Abdelaziz Abassi and Hatem Langar (Tunisia)
Olayinka Famogbiyela and Babatunde Popoola (Nigeria)
Sammy Wakaba and Ambrose Kisoi Mbalu (Kenya)
Banza Kalume Tonton (D.R Congo)
Kollo Guy Sani (Cameroon)
Clesio Ramos and Francisco Tando (Angola).
The teams will be grouped into two groups of five or sic teams if two other slots are granted teams seeking wild-card to the competition.
Namibia VB Federations will organise the last Beach VB competition of the season when the DTS Arena host the tournament on November 29.
thrilling action in the CAVB Beach Volleyball tournament in Namibia
This one day tournament will cover 5 categories, namely 2-a-side ladies, men, junior/social, junior girls as well as the popular 4-a-side social mixed category played on grass courts.
Traditionally in the 2-a-side category, the last tournament will be played in a King-, Queen- and Prince(ss) of the Beach system, meaning players have to enter as individual and will play with numerous partners in order to determine the best individual Beach Volleyball player.
Namibia Beach VB action
The 4-a-side category will be played as usual with normal system.
Tokyo 2020 chief, Yoshiro Mori, says baseball/softball in 2020 would be a “big plus”.
As support for baseball and softball to be included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games continues to mount across Japan, with a growing chorus from all parts of the globe, the political group consisting of 67 Diet Members campaigning for baseball and softball at the Olympic Games assembled in Tokyo for the second time in a month last Tuesday, November 18 in the Japanese Diet.
Kazuhiro Tawa, Senior Advisor of Baseball Federation of Japan, and Taeko Utsugi, Vice President of Japan Softball Association — as well as World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) executive member — made presentations to the supportive Diet members, exchanged ideas and were encouraged to expand the baseball/softball Olympic inclusion campaign.
The Diet Federation members from the LDP of Japan recognized the ongoing work by the baseball/softball family, including the screening of the promotional video on the stadium jumbotron during the recent WBSC-sanctioned “Japan Series” between the top-ranked Japanese National Baseball Team, Samurai Japan, and the MLB All-Stars at the Tokyo Dome, and University/High School Baseball Championship at Meiji Jingu Stadium.
Immediately following the Diet meeting, the 40-proposal Olympic Agenda 2020 reform programme was released from the International Olympic Committee’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The potential reforms being introduced by the IOC would allow host cities to propose the inclusion of one or more events for their games — a move which would clear the way for baseball and softball to be included in the 2020 Games.
IOC Vice-President John Coates, who was visiting Tokyo with his IOC Coordination Commission team, and Chairman of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Organizing Committee Yoshiro Mori, spoke to the media on how the IOC President Thomas Bach’s reform agenda could affect planning for Tokyo 2020.
“In the case of Japan, including baseball and softball would be a great idea,” Mori said at the news conference last Wednesday. “The two sports are very popular in Japan and having them on the program would be a big plus.”
World Baseball Softball Confederation
The Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms will be put to a vote by the full IOC membership at a special session in Monaco on December 8-9.
The first/last bid from the new world governing body, WBSC, to include baseball and softball in the 2020 Olympic Games was at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina in September 2013, where wrestling was voted back onto the official Olympic Programme the day after Tokyo was announced as the host of the 2020 Olympic Games.
Protecting athletes’ health and preventing injuries and illnesses in sport are top priorities for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its Medical Commission. Nine research centres from across the world have thus been named as IOC Research Centres for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health.
These centres are:
Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention, Federation University Australia, Australia
Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, University of Calgary, Canada
Institute of Sports Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
Yonsei University, Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Amsterdam Collaboration on Health & Safety in Sports, VU University and Academic Medical Centre, Netherlands
Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Norway
Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Qatar
Clinical Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Group, University of Cape Town, South Africa
London’s Institute for Sports, Exercise and Health (ISEH) and National Centre for Sports Exercise and Medicine (NCSEM), United Kingdom
Over the next four years, these centres will be tasked with researching, developing and implementing effective preventive and treatment methods for sports-related injuries and illnesses. They will receive financial support from the IOC and join an international network of expert scientists and clinicians in sports-injury and disease-prevention research.
“We are delighted to have appointed nine highly qualified centres from the four corners of the world to assist us with our mission,” commented IOC Medical Commission Chair and Executive Board member Dr Uğur Erdener. “These centres have all demonstrated that they are at the forefront of research in sports medicine and are committed to our shared goal of using knowledge and resources to ensure the athletes’ well-being so that sportsmen and women can perform at their best level with minimal risks to their health.”
The IOC Head of Scientific Activities, Lars Engebretsen, added: “While athletes were previously active until they were 25, today they compete until they are 40 to 45 at a very high level. An injury to one of them is a major issue, so treatment and prevention have become all the more important.”
Since 2009, the IOC, under the leadership of its Medical Commission, has supported and partnered with established research centres from around the world which have demonstrated clinical, educational, and research expertise in the fields of sports medicine and elite sports to promote the athletes’ health through the prevention of injury and illness.
Collaborating closely with the newly-appointed nine research centres, the IOC aims to further promote and protect the health of athletes by:
Establishing long-term research programmes on injury and disease prevention (including underlying studies on epidemiology, risk factors, and mechanisms),
Fostering collaborative relationships with individuals, institutions and organisations to improve athletes’ health,
Implementing applied, ongoing and novel research and development within the framework and long-term strategy of the IOC,
Setting up knowledge translation mechanisms to share scientific research results with the field throughout the Olympic Movement and sports community and to convert these results into concrete actions to protect the health of the athletes.
ISSF Authorities unveiled today some numbers of the 2014 Season Media Report that will be presented at the ISSF General Assembly, to be held in Munich on the 2nd and 3rd of December.
The TV coverage of the 2014 ISSF World Cup Stages, World Cup Finals and World Championship reached 240 million viewers in over 100 countries, in 2014. More than 100 hours of TV footage were produced by ISSF TV and distributed all over the world, including 30 hours of live transmission at the ISSF World Championship in all Shooting events in Granada, distributed in collaboration with Eurovision. Ten TV broadcasters used the ISSF TV feed live, via satellite, while over 60 TV networks recorded our satellites feeds for delayed playback or downloaded the footage from the Eurovision WorldLink.
ISSF – INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING SPORT FEDERATION
Press and on-line news coverage of the 2014 ISSF World Championship in all Shooting events in Granada, Spain, was measured by an independent consulting company, reporting excellent results. Over 600 newspapers from all over the world covered the event, writing more than 3 thousand articles within 10 days, and reaching a potential readership of 1.5 Billion people.
Internet and Social Media have been a key future of the 2014 ISSF communication strategy. More than 200 articles and 2.200 photos were published online on http://www.issf-sports.org, and the Federations’ website recorded 1.6 million visits during the season, 23% more than in 2013.
Videoclips of ISSF World Cups and World Championship were watched 2.8 million times on YouTube, where the International Shooting Sport Federation is offering 1000 videos and interviews recorded on the fields of play. 75.000 Facebook fans interacted with the ISSF throughout the season, and shooting sport content was also offered to thousand of followers on Twitter and Flickr.
2014 ISSF Media Report, credit ISSF
“The media coverage of the 2014 ISSF Season has been fantastic.” The ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber said. “There’s a tough competition among sports for TV spaces, and the international sport calendar is really crowded nowadays, but in spite of it we’ve achieved great results.”
“Numbers tell us that we’re on the right path.” Mr. Franz Schreiber continued. “The communication strategy approved by the ISSF President Olegario Vàzquez Raña tuned out to be successful and effective: indeed we are not spending money, we are investing on the future of our sport, and results are paying off.”
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