WBSC Africa

Last updated
WBSC Africa
Type International sport federation
Purpose Sport governing body
Headquarters Minna, Nigeria
Region served
Africa
Membership24
Official language
English
President
Ishola Williams
Parent organization
World Baseball Softball Confederation

WBSC Africa, formerly known as the African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA), is the governing body of baseball and softball within Africa. As of June 2011, there are 24 members.

Contents

The confederation is responsible for operation of Baseball at the All-Africa Games.

History

The Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) was formed on June 8, 1990, in Lagos, Nigeria. The founding countries, 9 in number, were Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The executive committee unanimously appointed at the inaugural meeting included Malcolm Burne (Zimbabwe) as president, Russell Bartlett (Namibia) as 1st vice president, Ray Pitcher (Zambia) as 2nd vice president, Brigadier Ishola Williams (Nigeria) as secretary general, Lieutenant Colonel L Gwadabe (Nigeria) as assistant secretary general and Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Nigeria) as treasurer. The executive director of the International Baseball Association (IBA), David Osinski was present at the inaugural meeting. The meeting was declared open by the then Minister of Sports of Nigeria, Air Commodore Anthony Ikhazoboh. The 1st ABSA Congress was organised in 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Thereafter 6 congresses have been held, with the 2nd held in 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, the 3rd in 1994 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the 4th in 1995 in Harare, Zimbabwe, the 5th in 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria at which a new executive committee was elected to replace the appointed one.

This Executive Committee comprised Major General Ishola Williams (Nigeria) as president, Ray Pitcher (Zambia) as vice president baseball, Matthews Kutumela (South Africa) as vice president softball, Etienne N’Guessan (Côte d'Ivoire) as secretary general and Fridah Shiroya (Kenya) as treasurer.

Also in 1996, responsibility for the promotion and development of the games was devolved to zones, and zonal coordinators were appointed as follows: zonal chairman North Africa Zone – Mohammed Ben Guiza (Tunisia), zonal chairman East and Central Africa Zone – Solomon Gacece (Kenya), zonal coordinator West Africa Zone – Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Nigeria), and zonal chairman Southern Africa Zone – Edwin Bennett.

The 6th Congress was held in 2001 in Minna, Nigeria, at which Françoise Kameni Lele (Cameroon) was elected treasurer and the 7th Congress in 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya. At the 7th Congress, Major General Ishola Williams was confirmed as president, Fridah Shiroya was elected vice president softball, and Mabothobile Shebe (Lesotho) was elected secretary general.

The 1st Africa Cup Baseball Championship was organised in 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe with only 4 countries participating with the final standings as follows: South Africa – 1st, Zimbabwe – 2nd, Nigeria – 3rd and Zambia – 4th. The 2nd Africa Cup Baseball Championship in 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, the 3rd Africa Cup Baseball Championship in 1995 in Harare, Zimbabwe, the 4th Africa Cup Championship in 2001 in Kampala, Uganda. The first time baseball featured in the All-Africa Games was in 1999 in the 7th All-Africa Games in South Africa and the second time was in 2003 in the 8th All-Africa Games in Nigeria.

The first age group baseball tournament organised by the ABSA was the 1st ABSA/KENKO Under-13 Baseball Tournament with teams from four countries participating: Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe which was won by South Africa.

The competitions organised by the ABSA now include the Africa Cup, the AA Under-15, the AAA Under-17, the Club Championship and the Little League.

Members

Baseball

CodeAssociationNational teamsFoundedMembership IOC
member
Note
BEN Flag of Benin.svg Benin (M, W)2018FullYes
BOT Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana (M, W)2008FullYes
BUR Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso (M, W)2004FullYes
CMR Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon (M, W)1997FullYes
CPV Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde (M, W)2020FullYes
COD Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo (M, W)2010FullYes
EGY Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt (M, W)2018FullYes
GHA Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana (M, W)1992FullYes
CIV Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Ivory Coast (M, W)1996FullYes
KEN Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya (M, W)1997FullYes
LES Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho (M, W)1994FullYes
NGR Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria (M, W)1989FullYes
SLE Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone (M, W)2021FullYes
RSA Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa (M, W)1935FullYes
TAN Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania (M, W)2014FullYes
TOG Flag of Togo (3-2).svg Togo (M, W)1996FullYes
TUN Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia (M, W)1920FullYes
UGA Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda (M, W)1989FullYes
ZAM Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia (M, W)1979FullYes
ZIM Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe (M, W)1952FullYes

Former members

AssociationNational teams
Flag of Angola.svg Angola(M, W)
Flag of Chad.svg Chad(M, W)
Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia(M, W)
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco(M, W)
Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia(M, W)
Flag of Niger.svg Niger(M, W)
  • These nations were members in the IBF, but do not currently have membership in the WBSC. Their current status within the African Baseball and Softball Association cannot be confirmed as of 2023.

Softball

CodeAssociationNational teamsFoundedMembership IOC
member
Note
BEN Flag of Benin.svg Benin (M, W)2018FullYes
BOT Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana (M, W)1977FullYes
BUR Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso (M, W)2004FullYes
CMR Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon (M, W)1997FullYes
CPV Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde (M, W)2020FullYes
COD Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo (M, W)2010FullYes
EGY Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt (M, W)2018FullYes
GAM Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia (M, W)2009FullYes
GHA Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana (M, W)1992FullYes
KEN Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya (M, W)1986FullYes
LES Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho (M, W)1994FullYes
NGR Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria (M, W)1989FullYes
SEN Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal (M, W)2000FullYes
RSA Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa (M, W)1994FullYes
TAN Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania (M, W)2014FullYes
TUN Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia (M, W)1920FullYes
UGA Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda (M, W)1989FullYes
ZAM Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia (M, W)1979FullYes
ZIM Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe (M, W)2008FullYes

Former members

AssociationNational teams
Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea(M, W)
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau(M, W)
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Ivory Coast(M, W)
Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia(M, W)
Flag of Mali.svg Mali(M, W)
Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia(M, W)
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone(M, W)

WBSC World Rankings

Baseball

WBSC Men's Rankings (as of 31 December 2024) [1]
Africa*WBSC+/-National TeamPoints
131Decrease2.svg 1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 313
248Steady2.svgFlag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 72
367Steady2.svgFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 23
481Steady2.svgFlag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 4
*Local rankings based on WBSC ranking points

Softball

Baseball5

WBSC Baseball5's Rankings (as of 9 August 2024) [4]
Africa*WBSC+/-National TeamPoints
13Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 2535
26Steady2.svgFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 1929
311Steady2.svgFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1222
415Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 1046
516Steady2.svgFlag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 798
622Steady2.svgFlag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 621
727Steady2.svgFlag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 398
830Steady2.svgFlag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 307
932Steady2.svgFlag of Cape Verde.svg  Cape Verde 192
1038Steady2.svgFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 114
1140Steady2.svgFlag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 60
1242Steady2.svgFlag of Benin.svg  Benin 59
1348Steady2.svgFlag of Togo (3-2).svg  Togo 6
*Local rankings based on WBSC ranking points

Historical leaders

Highest Ranked Africa member in the WBSC Rankings

See also

References

  1. "The WBSC World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  2. "The WBSC Men's Softball World Ranking". WBSC. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  3. "The WBSC Women's World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  4. "The WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking". WBSC. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.