After an absence of over 21 years, the Seniors European Baseball Championship returns to Italy based on the decision by the the and the to hold the international 16-country competition in the Piemonte cities of Torino, Avigliana and Settimo Torinese during the month of September in 2021. President Andrea Marcon said, "This award marks Italy's come back to the top of our disciplines not only in sport achievements, but also at the organizational level. 2021 will be a year in which our country will be the undisputed center of the European movement, hosting a series of events, the European Softball Championship and the U18 European Baseball Championship above all, that will not only emphasize the enthusiasm of our operators and supporters, but also will turn into the tool to 'capture' many others.”
When Spain declined to host the 2021 Euros due to the coronavirus pandemic, FIBS President Andrea Marcon was quick to respond with a sense of urgency for the Italian Federation to move fast on its bid to bring the European Baseball Championship back to Italy on July 23, 2020. Czech Republic and Russia took aim at hosting the competition, but in the end Italy was declared the winner due in part to strong support of Piemonte Region President Alberto Cirio, Mayors Chiara Appendino, Andrea Archinà and Elena Piastra as well as Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malagò.
Perhaps the unsung hero in landing the 2021 European Baseball Championship is FIBS Piemonte Federal Councilor Marco Mannucci, who is also a member on the CEB Executive Committee. He took to social media with the launch of the on July 25, 2020. His posts (in English) were convincing to all readers that Italy was the clear choice for the 2021 Euros. With over 4,200 Facebook likes to his credit in a short period of time, Marco Mannucci made the a massive success in elevating Italy's bid for the games. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
