The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) reaffirms its dedication to an independent and expert-led clean sport program for its athletes and extends the full delegation of its anti-doping activities to the International Testing Agency (ITA) until the end of 2024.
In 2018, the ITTF was one of the first International Federations to see the benefits of handing over its anti-doping operations to the ITA, then a newly established independent agency with the objective to deliver expert-led anti-doping programs free from any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Four years after this important decision to increase the protection of its athletes from doping, the ITTF renews its collaboration with the ITA until the end of 2024.
”In the past four years we have established a strong bond with ITA, their advice and guidance has been most appreciated. We take pride in the fact that table tennis has been able to maintain the image of a clean sport but that does not mean there is room for complacency, we must keep up to date with all items regarding enhancing performance by taking drugs; thus, we are delighted to renew the agreement with ITA” — ITTF President Petra Sörling
Within this framework, the ITA will continue to plan and roll out the entire ITTF clean sport program, including in- and out-of-competition testing following intelligent distribution planning based on an extensive risk assessment. The administration of the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) and athlete whereabouts also continue under the responsibility of the ITA, as well as the management of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) and Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).
Results management of potential anti-doping rule violations and whereabouts failures will continuously be handled by the ITA on behalf of the ITTF. Through this partnership renewal, the ITTF will now provide its athletes, national member federations and stakeholders access to ITA’s confidential reporting platform REVEAL, allowing anyone from the table tennis community to report anonymously or confidentially any suspicion of doping or anti-doping rule violation. The ITA will manage any intelligence or investigation resulting thereof. The ITA will furthermore develop and implement a long-term sample storage and re-analysis strategy for the federation.
“I am very proud that with the renewal and expansion of the partnership, we can continue to build on the trust that the International Table Tennis Federation has placed in us since the beginning. Our anti-doping experts will continue to work with the same vigour to deliver a high-quality clean sport program to the table tennis community – whether throughout the year, during international events such as the 2023 World Championships in Durban or the Olympic Games. As table tennis is particularly popular on the Asian continent, we also look forward to exploring potential synergies benefiting the ITTF anti-doping program through our collaboration with the Shanghai University of Sport, the first ever ITA Academic Centre.” — ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen
The partnership also aims to continue strengthening doping prevention for ITTF athletes and support personnel through the implementation of an educational plan developed by ITA experts in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) International Standard for Education.
The ITA’s Regulatory Compliance Unit will finally continue to ensure that all elements of the ITTF anti-doping program are fully in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and its connected standards and provide its partner with all the support and guidance it needs to manage any audit and potential corrective action.