On Saturday afternoon, January 28, 2023, FIBS President Andrea Marcon addressed the thousand-plus attendees of the Italian Baseball and Softball Convention in Rimini. After thanking all the parties involved in making CON-X 2023 possible, especially the Department of Sport and Sport & Salute S.p.a., he praised all the baseball and softball coaches who work nonstop on a daily basis and dedicate themselves to the game and its future.
FIBS President Marcon said, “Hard work and collaboration are not only the path to success but also a means of turning adversity into one's favor. For the past to years, you have done something magical, almost unreal. Your work, patience and tireless efforts, despite the pandemic, have made it possible to reverse the negative trend we were experiencing, especially in the areas of enrollment and recruitment of new male and female athletes."
Holding back the tears while honoring the late and great Italian baseball ambassador Bill Holmberg and former Team Italy softball manager Enrico Obletter, President Marcon took time out to reflect on their invaluable contributions to the respective sports. However, he did not hold back in sharing his disappointment with the national teams' performance recently.
President Marcon declared, “There's no need to go around it. We cannot be satisfied with the results we have achieved in these two years. I think the reasons for certain defeats are clear to everyone, we are trying to remedy and find solutions, but we must all together acknowledge that perhaps we are living in the past. We must get involved and rediscover the enthusiasm that must accompany the boys and girls who proudly wear the Italian jersey and who represent us in Europe and around the world. You will see that the satisfactions will come soon."
President Marcon continued. "In the meantime, we are rooting as hard as we can for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. As far as for national softball team hosting the Softball World Cup Qualifier here in Italy, we support you 100% in the coming months. We have to roll up our sleeves, keep up to date and all work together because our blue shirts are the expression of what we do on every day on the diamond, from Bolzano to Catania, from Torino to Trieste."
President Marcon closed his moving speech by acknowledging all the representatives from far way places attending CON-X 2023. He reiterated his closeness to the Ukrainian National Federation Vice President Vasyl Kysil: He said, "I want to dedicate a minute to a friend in particular, a person with whom I have been in contact almost daily in recent months and who lives, together with the Ukrainian people, in turmoil but continues to do great work." Forza #Italia!
CON-X 2023 NEWS
by Andrea Stefanoni and Roberto Angotti
(Photo of FIBS President Andrea Marcon at CON-X 2023 in Rimini, Italy by PhotoBass)
