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There were seven different approaches but the goal was the same for the representatives of seven sports attending the SportAccord convention last week -- to get into the Olympic Games.

Golf chose a typically low key approach, discreetly working the hotel lobby, while the International Softball Federation (ISF) went for a harder sell, hosting a champagne breakfast attended by royalty, International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and gold medal winners.

With over 1,200 high-ranking sporting officials and IOC members attending SportAccord, the Olympic wannabes seized the chance to press their cases on an influential audience.

The competition is fierce among golf, softball, karate, baseball, squash, rugby sevens and roller sports federations with the IOC prepared to add no more than two, if any, to the 2016 Olympic line-up later this year at its congress in Copenhagen.

Certainly, no sport has worked harder to get into the Games than softball, which lost its Olympic status for the 2012 Games and beyond by a single vote in 2005.

Axed from the Olympic program along with baseball, softball officials had already launched a vigorous campaign to get make into the Games long before the final out was called at Beijing Olympics.

The ISF has worked tirelessly to address IOC concerns the sport is not played at the highest level in enough countries by developing new youth competitions and taking the game to Africa and Muslim nations.

Japan's victory over the U.S. in the Olympic gold medal game in Beijing also did not go unnoticed.

"I hear from time-to-time from IOC members they've heard what we're doing," said ISF president Don Porter. "That's what we're trying to do, make sure our message is out there.

"We think there are a lot of areas that our sport can expand and develop and we are tying to do that."

DOPING ISSUES

Baseball's bid to return to Olympic lodge appears much more daunting, as the sport continues to deal with doping issues and Major League Baseball's refusal to shutdown during the Summer Games to allow the best players to take part.

International Baseball Federation (IBAF) president Harvey Schiller said various formats were being discussed that would free major leaguers to take part, including a five day Olympic tournament that would have teams play doubleheaders.

"Anytime you're around the voters it is important," said Schiller while waiting to corner IOC president Jacques Rogge for a brief chat. "We are the national sport of 20 countries.

"But if the Olympics don't want us baseball will continue."

While baseball and softball federations manned booths at SportAccord, the International Golf Federation (IGF) were downstairs working the lobby.

Golf is banking on its global appeal and sense of fair play to strengthen its bid to be included at the 2016 Games.

The IGF's biggest challenge is to convince the IOC that the world's best golfers will be interested enough to compete for Olympic gold.

"Golf has got a great story to tell, it's played all around the world," Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Club told Reuters. "It's played by men and women, young and old we think golf should be in.

"We have always had the support of the women's players and we've got growing support among the best men's players."

(Source: Reuters)