The WBSC has extended its anti-doping agreement with the International Testing Agency ©ITA

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has renewed its partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA) and is set to place "new emphasis on information-sharing, investigations, long-term sample storage and the confidential reporting of doping offences through reveal."

The two organisations have been collaborating since January 2020 and now the WBSC has furthered its commitment to anti-doping.

As part of the deal, the ITA will now develop and manage the long-term storage of samples for the WBSC, allowing them to be re-tested at a later date using analytical methods.

The WBSC will also adhere to 'Reveal', the ITA's doping reporting platform, which will allow athletes, coaches, and other stakeholders to share information on potential rule violations anonymously.

"This renewed and extended delegation by our partner WBSC is a real sign of confidence in our work and in the harmonisation of global anti-doping efforts," said ITA director general Benjamin Cohen.

"We are especially pleased about the new collaboration in the areas of intelligence, investigations and information-gathering through our reporting platform REVEAL.

"The ITA had the privilege of supporting the clean sport program for baseball and softball players in 2021 throughout the year and during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

"We are equally committed to protecting their integrity at the highest level for another two years and hopefully the many years to come.

"The WBSC has a very ambitious plan to grow both baseball and softball worldwide and we are honoured to accompany them on this journey and to play our part by further promoting health, integrity and fairness in the sport."

The ITA will remain responsible for out-of-competition testing for the WBSC, as well as for risk assessment, test distribution planning, athlete biological passport (ABP) administration, the management of therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs), results management and whereabouts failures.

"The WBSC is very proud to continue this partnership with the ITA as it enhances the fight against doping and provides the WBSC and all its members with important tools, like education, intelligence and investigations and long-term storage & analysis," WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said.

"After the excellent result in the recent Association of Summer Olympic International Federations Good Governance report, the WBSC must maintain its high standards and the partnership with ITA is paramount in this sense and will help us to continue complying with all the expectations not only from World Anti-Doping Agency, but also from all our athletes, athlete support personnel and all WBSC Members."