The Rules Of Baseball In The Olympics

Baseball made its Olympics debut in 1904 as a demonstration sport. It took 88 years for it to become a medal sport, and Cuba won the first gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The sport was dropped after the 2008 games, and its international governing body made an unsuccessful attempt to have it included in 2016. A number of rules changes would have applied had the bid for inclusion been approved.

Elimination from the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee decided in 2005 to eliminate baseball from the games' schedule. According to "USA Today," the absence of Major League Baseball players from national teams hurt the sport's appeal, as did a lack of worldwide development of the sport. The International Baseball Federation applied for readmission to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Olympics. The request was denied by the International Olympic Committee, which chose to include rugby and golf instead, according to ESPN.com.

Proposed Format for 2016

Had the International Olympic Committee reinstated baseball for the 2016 Olympics, the competition would have taken a different shape. The International Baseball Federation had proposed an eight-team competition, with teams playing each other once. According to the proposal, the competition would have taken five days and could have accommodated a women's tournament, if requested.

Tie-Breaker Rules

The Olympics previously adopted International Baseball Federation rules for competition. Had the Olympics been included for 2016, the federation's tie-breaker rule would have been used. According to the rule, if a game is tied after 10 innings, each subsequent half inning begins with an offensive player on first and second with no outs. These players would be determined by the team, since each squad could reposition its batting order beginning in the top of the 11th inning. No adjustments could be made to the batting order after the 11th inning.

Competition Norms and Rules

Olympic competition also would have adhered to International Baseball Federation Competition Norms. This publication outlines the logistical and technical aspects of the international game. One of the major differences between American baseball and the international game is a strict adherence to time limits. According to the norms, the pitcher has 12 seconds to throw his next pitch following the ball's return from the catcher. Each team's catcher also must be ready to warm up the pitcher before each inning and, each pitcher is allowed only eight tosses. The rule also is strict for the hitter, who may not leave the batter's box during his time at bat.