The agreement, signed by the ITA’s director general Benjamin Cohen alongside FINA President Julio Maglione, will see the ITA take control of FINA’s out-of-competition testing and the biological passport programme.

In competition testing meanwhile, will remain under the scope of FINA.

"The ITA is honoured to have been entrusted with the management of several areas of FINA’s anti-doping programme,"Cohen - who signed after speaking on a panel discussing “Fair Play in Aquatics” - said.

"We look forward to this partnership and the ITA will work hard, in close cooperation with FINA, to ensure that the sport of aquatics and its athletes are clean."

Maglione, meanwhile, claimed FINA is "very pleased" with the agreement.

"Our International Federation is at the forefront of the fight against doping, and our cooperation with ITA will reinforce our strength and leadership in this area," he said.

"Together, we will decisively be stronger in this continuous war against cheaters in our sport."

The ITA was formed earlier this year, claiming to act independently of any sports organisation or national interest.

Its establishment was seen as a key step in the global fight for clean sport.

Other sporting bodies to sign up to the ITA recently include the International Gymnastics Federation and International Weightlifting Federation.

World Taekwondo signed an agreement in October to hand over its anti-doping programme to the ITA.

The International Judo Federation and the International Boxing Association have also partnered with the ITA.