Governance and Commissions

Select a commission to discover more information.

Athletes' Commission

Role of the WBSC Athletes Commission:

Serves as a consultative body and is the link between active athletes and the WBSC
Represents athletes and upholds the rights and obligations of the athletes
One baseball and softball representative each serves as a member of the WBSC Executive Board
The Commission makes recommendations to the WBSC’s Executive Board
This Commission is composed of athletes elected by the athletes during the WBSC World Championships and must balance gender and sports

Activities:

Awareness-raising among athletes of all categories in reference to anti-doping
Supports and follows the initiatives of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), e.g. promoting the anti-doping passport, and harmonising rules and sanctions
Warns about the risks of using nutritional supplements
Supports other commission activities as needed

Members

Justin Huber - Australia
Maria Soto - Venezuela
Nathan Nukunuku - New Zealand
Ashley Jacqueline Stephenson - Canada
Erika Jacqueline Anne Polidori - Canada
Pauline Prade – France

Development Commission

Role of the WBSC Development Commission:

Where necessary, works with stakeholders, such as professional baseball, professional softball and youth organisations to further enhance results
Plays a lead role in the direction and function of the umpire and scoring commissions

Activities:

Develop programmes designed to grow the number of players
Identify areas where baseball and softball growth is needed
Identify programmes to increase the quality of players globally
Develop and implement programmes designed to increase the quality of coaching available
Chronicle development programmes around the world
Implement development programmes
Work with stakeholders including professional baseball, professional softball and commercial partners
Set goals for player development in baseball and softball-developing areas
Hold programmes accountable for results

Members

Angelo Vicini - Chair - San Marino
Craig Cress - United States
Mark Moreau - South Africa
Amilcar Estrada - Guatemala
Ryan Flynn - New Zealand
Bill Bavasi - United States
Chris Day - Chinese Taipei
Petra Arends - The Netherlands
Taeko Utsugi - Japan

Ethics Commission

Among other objectives in its Statutes, the WBSC upholds those which aim “to encourage the development of physical and moral qualities; to promote the greatest bonding and most fair and amicable cooperation between its members; to guard and protect the general interests of baseball and softball throughout the world and before such organisations and institutions as may be required; and to contribute to the realisation of the aims laid down in the Olympic Charter”.

The WBSC believes that in order to attain such objectives, members of the world baseball and softball family are required to display an honourable, dignified and exemplary attitude throughout their sporting lives, both on and off the field.

This behaviour is governed by a Code of Ethics, accepted and supported by all the members, based on the following principles:

The most rigorous respect for the ideals, principles and rules that govern the Olympic Movement, particularly those that they have accepted as part of the philosophy of their sport
The development, promotion and strict monitoring of the values of honesty, respect, solidarity and fairness in relations between players, teams, Member Federations and organisations under the auspices of the WBSC, as well as in their links with other institutions or persons representing the Olympic Movement or world sport
Determined and consistent defence of the mission of educating and training children and youths, which the WBSC and its member organisations must guarantee if they are to promote and develop baseball and softball

As the international governing body for baseball and softball, the WBSC applies its own Code of Ethics to the relations and conduct of the WBSC itself and its governing organs, Commissions and Sub-Commissions, Continental Confederations, Member Federations, and individuals - whether players, coaches, umpires, administrators, officials, managers, or any other person or institution acting on behalf of or under the jurisdiction of the WBSC.

All members of the WBSC, which for these purposes includes federations, associations, organisations, confederations, athletes, coaches, umpires, administrators, officials and managers at any level, acknowledge and agree to abide by the literal content and the spirit of the following 14 principles, which underpin the Code of Ethics of the WBSC.

Members

Willi Kaltschmitt Luján - Chair - Guatemala
Ron Finlay - Australia
Meliton Sanchez Rivas - Panama
Pedro Alejandro Yang - Guatemala

Legal Commission

The Legal Commission’s role is both consultative and operational on legal and ethical issues and provides a forum for discussion of current legal issues generally affecting the various organisations, which make up the baseball and softball world.

Examples of legal opinions, studies and actions:

Providing legal opinions to the President and Executive Board upon their request on issues relating to the exercise of their respective competences
Analysing and informing the Executive Board of the Statutes’ amendments which they deem necessary and of any legal matter this may require
Cooperating in elaborating and amending, whenever this has been requested specifically by those concerned, the Statutes of the Continental Confederations or of Member Federations, Associations or organisations
Reporting to the Executive Board the conclusions deriving from legal, statutory or regulatory consultations to be submitted to the Executive Board or to the Congresses

Members

Ron Finlay - Chair - Australia
Vincenzo La Rocca - Italy
Karen Kreider Gaunt - United States

Media Commission

Role of the WBSC Media Commission:

Has a key role in the worldwide dissemination and promotion of WBSC’s World Cups and advising on the best possible working conditions for the broadcast and communication media during WBSC events

Activities:

Handles relations with the media
Prepares reports for the Executive Board and Congress
Prepares and sends press releases
Produces the WBSC world news (bimensal or monthly)
Produces articles to be published on the WBSC website and also manages content
Information gathering on the activities of the members and the confederations

Members

Oscar Lopez - United States
Valerio Cianfoni - Italy
Riccardo Schiroli - Italy
Jayrinette Otero - Puerto Rico
Martin Jorge - Argentina

Medical/Anti-Doping Commission

The WBSC has reinforced its commitment to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and to baseball and softball players worldwide.

The WBSC Anti-Doping Programme has been created with the necessary resources to work towards full WADA Code compliance.

Role of the Medical/Anti-Doping Commission:

WBSC appoints one or more WBSC Anti-Doping Commissioners to oversee in-competition doping controls at WBSC competitions

Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Commission:

The WBSC Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Committee determines the outcome of TUE applications submitted to WBSC

Anti-Doping Panel - Tribunal:

WBSC has established a Panel of appropriately qualified people from which three-person tribunals will be formed to hear cases and determine the outcome of anti-doping rule violations under WBSC jurisdiction
WBSC is using the WADA Anti-Doping Administrative and Management System (ADAMS) as its anti-doping database

Members

Dr. Gianfranco Beltrami - Chair - Italy
Dr. Kevin Hargrove - United States
Dr. Daniel Herrera - Panama
Dr. Kaila Holtz - Canada
Dr. Atsushi Masujima - Japan
Dr. Robert Terrell - United States
Dr. Ying Tseng - Chinese Taipei

Paralympic Commission

Role of the Paralympic Commission:

Serves as a consultative body and is the link between disabled athletes and the WBSC
Represents disabled athletes and upholds the rights and obligations of the athletes
The Commission makes recommendations to the WBSC’s Executive Board
The Commission identifies opportunities for disabled athletes to compete

Members

Tom Nagel - France

Sport and Environment Commission

Role of the WBSC Sport and Environment Commission:

Raises awareness of key environmental problems and issues among the international baseball/softball family and greater sports community at large
Has the important task of monitoring the implementation of all modern environmental principles and techniques at each and every WBSC event and/or activity
Oversees Local Organising Committees’ progress in the planning and staging of WBSC events
Maintains contact with all WBSC Member Federations, so that the baseball/softball community is aware of environmental problems as they relate to hosting events
Provides specific guidelines to interested parties in order to carry out the best environmental practices in organising any such international baseball/softball activity
Works with stakeholders, such as some specialised associations, that can be consulted to organise informational and educational sessions or workshops
Aims to reduce the carbon footprint left behind by sports-related activities, so that everyone can live in a more sustainable world

Members

Julio Pernas - Spain
Maria del C. Alanis - Mexico

Olympic Commission

Following successful pilots at the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup in Viera, Florida, the WBSC mandated an Olympic Commission to develop new rules for Olympic competitions, making baseball and softball at the Games as streamlined, globally appealing and cost-efficient as possible.

The strategic review, approved at the recent WBSC Executive Board meeting in Florida, will explore tournament format and gameplay adjustments specifically for Olympic baseball and softball, enhancing the sports product on the field while minimising the resources required to stage it.

For inspiration, the WBSC Olympic Commission will look to the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and the New Norm principles of flexibility, partnership, sustainability and efficiency, while seeking to promote ever greater gender equality in its tournaments and making the sport more appealing to young fans and players.

Changes to three main aspects of the sport are being considered under the WBSC Olympic Commission review, including shortening the game (e.g. by reducing the number of innings, limiting the time between pitches with a pitch clock, and introducing automatic intentional walks).

Reducing the athlete quota (e.g. by reducing the size of Olympic rosters and requiring athletes to vacate the Olympic Village at the end of their competition); and staging preliminary rounds of Olympic tournaments outside the host city prior to the Games, so that only the final knock-out competition would be part of the Olympics, are also being looked at.

Members

Riccardo Fraccari - Chair - Italy
Willi Kaltschmitt Luján - Guatemala
Beatrice Allen - Gambia
Didier Seminet - France
Yumilka Daisy Ruiz - Cuba
Melitón Sánchez Rivas - Panama
Tom Peng - Chinese Taipei
Tommy Velázquez - Puerto Rico
Angelo Vicini - San Marino
Antonio Castro Soto del Valle - Cuba
Michael Schmidt - Austria

Coach Commission

Members

Marco Mazzieri - Chair - Italy
Andrea D'Auria - Italy
David J Wabick - United States
Jorge David Santos - Puerto Rico
Craig Montvidas - United States
Jeffrey Hammonds - United States

Baseball5 Commission

Baseball5 is a new five-on-five, five-inning street version of the game of baseball/softball that can be played anywhere.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari claims this faster urban discipline will help drive baseball and softball to new places not possible before.

The WBSC Baseball5 Commission met for the first time in September 2018 in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Members

Angelo Vicini - Chair - San Marino
Tirelo Mukokomani - Botswana
Yumilka Daisy Ruiz - Cuba
Elliot Fleys - France
Antonio Savasta - Italy
Hiroko Yamada - Japan
Antonio Castro Soto del Valle - Cuba

Infrastructure Commission

Members

Garibaldy Bautista - Chair - Dominican Republic
Emilio Sonnu - Italy

Scoring Commission

Role of the WBSC Scoring Commission:

Appointing scorers to WBSC tournaments
Establishing WBSC instructors to ensure the consistency of scoring methods across the continents
Organising scoring clinics in various emerging baseball and softball nations
Establishing WBSC certificates to enhance the quality of WBSC scorers
Educating WBSC scorers about live scoring system (play by play)

*Note: Members not listed on WBSC website*.