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With the inclusion of softball as one of the five sports disciplines for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Softball Association of India (SBAI) views this as a golden opportunity to promote and popularize the sport within the country.
Softball has a substantial presence in India, with players and enthusiasts across all states and union territories. Indian women's teams, spanning various age groups, consistently participate in international events. Neetal Narang, the president of the Softball Association of India, expressed her excitement at the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. She emphasized the determination to elevate India's global and Asian rankings and pursue Olympic qualification. "Softball is played in almost all the states and union territories of the country, and we are looking for an opportunity that will propel the sport in India. The Olympics is the best platform for this," she said. "Indian women's softball secured a wild card entry in the recent Asian Games in Hangzhou. However, India missed the opportunity to make their debut at the continental games due to being ranked ninth in Asia. The Union Sports Ministry's guidelines for team sports granted participation to the top eight ranked teams. Therefore, with an eye on the 2028 Olympics, the Indian softball team is determined to compensate for their loss at the Asian Games," said Neetal Narang. "The primary objective is clear: to climb from the current 49th position to the top 20 globally and from the 9th position to the top 4 in Asia within the next two years. Subsequently, the team's ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2028 Olympics," added Narang. In an effort to achieve these ambitious goals, the SBAI is organizing the senior national championship in Jammu & Kashmir next month. "We are launching our mission for the 2028 Olympics from the nationals. We will be selecting a pool of players during the national championship and will continue with national camps, aiming to improve our rankings both at the Asian and world levels," Narang elaborated. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics promises to be a significant stage for Indian softball, presenting an excellent opportunity to raise the sport's profile and propel it to new heights in the country. "The dedication and enthusiasm of the Softball Association of India, along with the nation's talented players, are set to make a mark on the global stage," said Narang. (ANI)
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