As the IOC’s global partner in the TOP programme, Alibaba is stepping up its cooperation agreements with the Olympic movement. After doing business with the International Canoeing Federation (ICF), the Chinese group has announced a partnership with the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC). It involves Alibaba Cloud, its data intelligence and digital technology arm. The agreement covers Baseball5, the smaller version of the sport. The announcement comes at a time when baseball and its women’s version, softball, are being proposed to the IOC by the Los Angeles 2028 Games Organising Committee for a return to the Olympic programme, eight years after Tokyo 2020. The agreement between the two parties provides for the development of more sustainable products, services and solutions aimed at making WBSC events more environmentally friendly. Using its Energy Expert platform, Alibaba Cloud will calculate the carbon footprint generated during competitions, including site operations, temporary structures, accommodation, catering, participant transport, local travel and the transport of sports equipment and materials. This Alibaba Cloud platform was used at the recent 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, and last summer at the Olympic e-Sports Week in Singapore.
