Softball, Baseball Fail in Attempt at Reinstatement

This just in: baseball and softball have failed in their attempt to be reconsidered for the 2012 programme.

The Canadian Press report is a little bit confusing, but if the earlier description of the process is correct, it sounds like both sports obtained the one-third support required to raise a motion that the vote should be redone. Then the motion failed to gain majority approval. That surprises me, given that softball lost by the slimmest of margins last time.

One thing I notice is that there were about 15 fewer voting delegates this time around, which may have been part of the problem. Because of the 2012 host city election, the summer congress was very well-attended. In particular, some of the Latin American and Asian delegates who supported the two sports might have stayed away from this session, given their lack of interest in the Winter Olympics.