Baseball, softball near joint Olympic bid

Baseball and softball officials want to complete plans by the end of the month for a joint bid for Olympic reinstatement.

The International Baseball Federation says it hopes to finish the work with the International Softball Federation at a March 17 meeting in the Netherlands and then submit it to the International Olympic Committee.

Baseball and softball are competing with karate, roller sports, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu for one spot on the 2020 program. The IOC will hold its vote in September 2013.

The IOC voted in 2005 to remove baseball and softball from the Olympic program after the 2008 Beijing Games. As separate bids, the two sports both failed to return for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.