Don Porter
President of ISF

I take this opportunity to recognize and welcome the athletes, coaches and officials to the ISF XI Women's World Championship here in the Olympic city of Beijing, in the People's Republic of China.

On behalf of the International Softball Federation and its 130 member national federations, I thank and salute the officials of Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG) and the World Championship Organizing Committee (WCOC) for the outstanding work in preparing and organizing this World Championship, that will also serve as one of the first Olympic test events, as well as one of the qualifiers for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The competition here during the next ten days will show the outstanding and exciting athletic ability of the athletes performing here that will hopefully inspire young female athletes here in China as well as throughout the world to take part in this great sport of fast pitch softball.

Now, I take great pleasure in inviting Mr Liu Qi, Secretary of the Beijing Committee of the CPC and President of BOCOG, to declare the Championship open.

Thank you!