Team Australia Makes Decision on Underage World Cups

Boral Team Australia will not compete at two underage World Cup events scheduled for later in the year amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Baseball Australia this week finalised a decision not to enter teams into the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in the US and the U-12 Baseball World Cup slated for Taiwan.

The decision also covers any qualification events for the two World Cups.

Baseball Australia performance pathways and player development general manager Michael Crooks said the health risks presented by COVID-19, logistics and cost, including that of insurance, were key factors in the decision.

“It has been an extremely difficult decision to make and a frustrating one for our players but there were too many significant obstacles in our way,” Crooks said.

“The decision was not made lightly, and our review included feedback from a number of government departments in Australia.

“At the end of the day we need to put the health and wellbeing of our players and staff first and there were too many risks for us to confidently do so in a financially responsible manner.”

Crooks said Baseball Australia would continue to work closely with players who had been part of the U-18 selection process.

He said a National Junior Camp for later in the year would be locked in shortly and a team would still be selected to appropriately recognise players for their performances.

Crooks said the camp would also provide a great development opportunity and showcase players to scouts on the ground and into the US through Baseball Australia’s technology partnerships.

The U-18 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Florida from September 10-19.

Dates for the U-12 World Cup in Tainan have not been locked in yet.
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Boral Team Australia’s national men’s team earlier this month withdrew from the WBSC Final Olympic Qualifier in Mexico due to “insurmountable” challenges.

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