Baseball's world governing body on Saturday opened the sport to professionals for the Olympics, although there's no guarantee major leaguers will play in Sydney in 2000.
With its long-term status as an Olympic sport in jeopardy, the International Baseball Association voted to rescind its amateur-only rule for the Olympics, world championships and other IBA-sanctioned events.The motion, which required a two-thirds majority, passed with 56 votes in favor, 7 against and 2 abstentions.
The United States was among the countries supporting the move, while those voting against were Cuba, Brazil, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Puerto Rico and Panama. Nicaragua and Hong Kong abstained.
The IBA had twice previously rejected proposals to open the sport to pros, most recently in June 1994 when the measure fell three votes short of the required majority.
Baseball now falls into line with basketball and ice hockey in allowing pros to take part in the Olympics, but several hurdles remain before baseball "Dream Teams" become reality.
IBA president Aldo Notari of Italy denied reports that the IOC had threatened to drop baseball from the Sydney Olympics unless pros were allowed to play. But Notari said the sport could have been in danger for future games.
"The IOC made it clear if the sport doesn't attract the general interest of the media, it would be difficult to remain in the Olympics," Notari said.
Notari acknowledged there might be little chance of having major leaguers compete at the Sydney Games. Players union head Donald Fehr and acting commissioner Bud Selig have said there is virtually no chance of the top players competing in Australia.
The main problem is the games are scheduled Sept. 16 through Oct. 1, scheduled to be the final day of the major league season.
But Selig said in a statement Saturday that he is pleased that the baseball federation took the step.
"Major league baseball is very pleased with the results of the vote in Lausanne, Switzerland," Selig said. "The clubs and I look forward to the day when we can form our own Dream Team to compete for an Olympic gold medal."
Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens has often said he'd like to play in the Olympics. After Saturday's game in New York, he said he would "very likely" be interested in 2000.
"That's good news," he said of the vote. "It's something we've been trying for."
In recent Olympics, he said, the Cuban teams have been too tough for the rest of the competition.
"With the Cubans, it's kind of like boys against men out there," he said.
Notari, however, said the vote was just a first step.
"The problem of the major league players is separate from today's decision," Notari said. "At the moment, this federation has no power over the major leagues . . . We'll start to work and reach an agreement with everybody as soon as possible. Our goal was to succeed in having the best players in international competitions."
Two high-level officials from the International Olympic Committee attended the congress to urge passage of the measure, stressing that the world's best athletes should take part in the Olympics.
The first competition open to pros will be the Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona, Spain, next Aug. 1-10.