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 harmonizing rules and sanctions
• Warns about the risks of using nutritional supplements
• Supports other commission activities as needed

Members

• Justin Huber - Australia
• Maria Soto - Venezuela

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
• Servio Borges Suárez - Mexico
• John Boyd - Great Britain
• Craig Cress - United States
• Chris Day - Chinese Taipei
• Amilcar Estrada - Guatemala
• Ryan Flynn - New Zealand
• Mette Nissen-Jakobsen - Denmark
• Taeko Utsugi - Japan

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 principles, which underpin the Code of Ethics of the WBSC.

Members

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

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
• Edward Colbert - United States
• Vincenzo La Rocca - Italy
• Karen Kreider Gaunt - United States

Role of the WBSC Media Commission: 

• Handles television rights and new media and has a key role in the worldwide dissemination and promotion of WBSC tournaments and advising the best possible working conditions for the broadcast and communication media during WBSC tournaments

Activities:

• Handles relations with the media
• 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

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

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

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