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The International Softball Federation has joined forces with interactive, marketing, and public relations agency JHG Inc. to support the BackSoftball campaign to get the sport back into the Olympics in 2016.

There are more than 8.4 million active softball participants worldwide and along with providing strategic media counsel and optimizing the ISF website, JHG has already created a donation portal at www.backsoftball.com to allow softball fans to show their supportand strengthen the organization's presence.

The aim is for softball to return to the 2016 Olympic Games programme after missing out by the narrowest of margins (only one vote) for the London 2012 programme at the 2005 Session of the International Olympic Committee.

ISF President Don Porter said, "We are excited to be working with JHG on this project. The people there have a tremendous understanding of new technologies and a passion for the sport. Together, we believe they can help us achieve our mission of reinstating softball on the Olympic program for 2016."

JHG's chief strategy officer, Elizabeth Estes-Cooper, added, "Despite the current global momentum and excitement of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, many softball fans around the world are disappointed that this may be softball's last appearance in the Summer Olympics.

"However, our partnership with the International Softball Federation will help the organization create and utilize an effective social media strategy to show the IOC - and the world - that softball is an immensely popular and expanding sport that has global appeal and deserves to have a place in the 2016 Olympic Games."

JHG believes that social media is the best way for the ISF to amass an international community and voice its strength and support so that the IOC reinstates softball back onto the Olympic programme.

The 300,000+ tickets for all softball games in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sold out earlier this year, further underlining the strength of the global BackSoftball campaign led by Mr.Porter.