Monday, October 12, 2009

ISF

The International Softball Federation is the international governing body for the sport of softball. The ISF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).

The ISF organizes and conducts world championship competition in women's & men's fast pitch, junior women's & junior men's fast pitch (19-and-under), women's, men's & coed slow pitch, and women's & men's modified pitch. The ISF sanctions regional championships and provides technical support to Regional (Multi-Sport) Games. Additionally the ISF qualifies teams for Olympic softball competition in coordination with the IOC. The ISF provides the official playing rules for international competition including but not limited to; Olympic Games, world championships, regional championships, regional Games and other sanctioned competitions.


The ISF considers some dependent territories, such as the British Virgin Islands, to be "countries" for the purposes of international competition. Those dependent territories compete separately from their "parent" country. There are members from every continent in the world, except Antarctica.

The national governing body for softball in each of the countries listed below is considered to be a member of the ISF.

Africa
There are a total of nineteen member countries.

Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Gambia
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Mali
Namibia
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe


Americas
There are a total of thirty-four member countries and dependent territories.

Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Netherlands Antilles
Nicaragua
Panama
Peru
Puerto Rico
Turks and Caicos Islands
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela
U.S. Virgin Islands. (The ISF calls them the Virgin Islands)


Asia
There are twenty-one member countries and dependent territories.

Brunei
China
Chinese Taipei
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Iran
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
North Korea
South Korea
Malaysia
Mongolia
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Uzbekistan
Vietnam


Europe
There are forty member countries and dependent territories.

Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Guernsey
Hungary
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Kosovo[2]
Lithuania
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine


Oceania
There are thirteen member countries and dependent territories.

American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
New Zealand
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands


Hall of Fame
Players, coaches, umpires, and administrators (plus individuals in the Meritorious Service category) have been being elected to the ISF Hall of Fame since 1981. Individuals can only be nominated by the national governing body for softball in their country, and are considered by the ISF Hall of Fame Commission every other year (on the odd year) at the ISF Congress. Planning is ongoing for an ISF Hall of Fame & Museum to be erected at the world headquarters complex in Plant City, Florida, USA.