POSTED: September 6th 2008
NewsUpdate
Softball keeps it clean -- again
Special Correspondent / Sports Features Communications
FLORIDA: Don Porter, president of the International Softball Federation, has hailed his sport for matching Olympic anti-doping standards after confirming another drug-free international competition.
Final results of dope tests during last month's Games in Beijing were all negative and thus women's international softball has not been hit by a single positive doping case since testing began in 1982.
Porter said: “There are many reasons why softball continues to grow in popularity and stature with everyone from young school children to grandparents - not only is it a great and easily accessible sport, but it exemplifies the values that sport and the Olympic movement aims to promote.
“The grand final in Beijing capped a fantastic two weeks for softball and maintained our fine record of having thousands of clean competitors at the highest level. We've always been determined to support the initiatives and values laid out by the Word Anti-Doping Agency.”
Porter is heading the BackSoftball campaign to persuade the IOC, in October next year, to restore the sport into the Olympic programme for 2016.
Japan beat the United States to the gold medal in Beijing, promoting remarkable TV ratings in Japan. The NHK-Japan Broadcasting Corporation registered its highest ratings for the entire Olympics with the exception of the Opening Ceremony.
The average viewing figures during the game were 30.6%, reaching a peak of 47.7% in the latter stages.
Keywords · softball · Don Porter · International Softball Federation · Beijing · 2008 · Japan · HJK · TV ratings
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