Softball great Lisa Fernandez hopes sport returns to 2016 Olympics

Fernandez hopeful softball returns for 2016 Games

NEW YORK — Softball great Lisa Fernandez is hopeful the sport will return for the 2016 Olympics.

The three-time Olympic gold medalist says it all comes down to the International Olympic Committee vote on Aug. 14. Softball is up against six other sports.

“Hopefully, the voters will have an open mind,” Fernandez said Monday. “We have yet to get an explanation — if it was grouped with baseball or we were too dominant. It doesn’t make sense. If that’s the case, they would get rid of men’s basketball.”

Softball was dropped from Olympics for the 2012 London Games when it didn’t receive support from IOC members.

Fernandez was in New York to hand out the Honda-Broderick Award to Georgia gymnast Courtney Kupets as the college top athlete. Fernandez won in 1993.

(This version CORRECTS APNewsNow; corrects to dominant in 3rd graf.)