FINA becomes 40th international sporting partner to put trust in the ITA

The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) has become the latest International Federation (IF) to sign an anti-doping service agreement with the International Testing Agency, announcing the new partnership during the 2018 FINA World Aquatics Convention in Hangzhou, China.

The ITA will take responsibility for a broad swathe of FINA’s anti-doping programme, including test distribution planning, out of competition testing, FINA’s biological passport programme, long term storage & re-analysis programme. It is also envisaged that FINA would outsource results management to the ITA by summer 2019.

FINA becomes the 40th partner to join the ITA, reinforcing the importance of the ITA in sport’s united fight for clean sport. FINA President Dr Julio Maglione said: “FINA is very pleased with this partnership. Our International Federation is at the forefront of the fight against doping, and our co-operation with ITA will reinforce our strength and leadership in this area. Together, we will decisively be stronger in this continuous war against cheaters in our Sport”.

The agreement was announced at the conclusion of the “Anti-Doping – Ensuring fair play in Aquatics” panel at the Convention, where Benjamin Cohen, ITA’s Director-General, was one of the speakers.

Following the panel discussion, Cohen took part in a signing ceremony alongside FINA President Dr Maglione. At the announcement, Cohen said: “The ITA is honoured to have been entrusted with the management of several areas of FINA’s anti-doping programme. We look forward to this partnership and the ITA will work hard, in close co-operation with FINA, to ensure that the Sport of Aquatics and its athletes are clean.”