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
• Ashley Jacqueline Stephenson - Canada
• Erika Jacqueline Anne Polidori - Canada
• Pauline Prade – France
• Randolph Oduber - Netherlands
• Bruno Motroni - Argentina
• Amy Park – Staff Liaison – South Korea

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
• Mattia Berardi – Staff Liaison - San Marino

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 Code of Ethics of the WBSC.

Members

• Willi Kaltschmitt Luján - Chair - Guatemala
• Ron Finlay - Australia
• Meliton Sanchez Rivas - Panama
• Pedro Alejandro Yang - Guatemala
• Beatrice Allen – The Gambia
• Victor Isola – Staff Liaison – Italy

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
• Amy Park – Staff Liaison – South Korea

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

• Richard Baker - Chair – New Zealand
• Oscar Lopez - United States
• Valerio Cianfoni - Italy
• Riccardo Schiroli - Italy
• Jayrinette Otero - Puerto Rico
• Martin Jorge - Argentina

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. Kaila Holtz - Canada
• Dr. Atsushi Masujima - Japan
• Dr. Robert Terrell - United States
• Dr. Ying Tseng - Chinese Taipei
• Saul Saucedo – Panama
• Victor Isola – Staff Liaison – Italy

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
• Lorenzo Vinassa de Regny - Italy
• Sarwar Ghulam – Italy
• Mariela Gonzalez – Staff Liaison - Mexico

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

• Lazaro Pernas - Spain
• Maria del C. Alanis - Mexico
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison – Spain

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
• Mariela Gonzalez – Staff Liaison – Mexico

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
• Rafael Colon – United States
• Kyla Holas - United States
• Giovanni Pantaleoni – Staff Liaison - Italy

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
• Valerio Cianfoni – Staff Liaison – Italy

Members

• Garibaldy Bautista - Chair - Dominican Republic
• Emilio Sonnu - Italy
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison - Spain

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)

Members

• Anna Maria Paini - Italy
• Pablo Carpio - Spain
• Dennis Duin - Netherlands
• Moira Dempsey - South Africa
• Maurizio Ronchi – Italy
• Oscar Izaguirre - Venezuela
• Linda Steijger - Netherlands
• Jennie Moloney - Australia
• Rafael Valle - Puerto Rico
• Takuya Sumi – Japan
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison - Spain

Members

• Beatrice Allen - Chair - Gambia
• Yumilka Daisy Ruiz - Cuba
• Hiroko Yamada - Japan
• Marisa Matsuda - Peru
• Aracelis Leon - Venezuela
• Donna Cohen – United States
• Amy Park – Staff Liaison – South Korea

The WBSC established its Youth Commission in March 2017 in a bid to boost baseball and softball among young people.

The establishment of the Commission was approved by the WBSC Executive Committee at a meeting in Rome.

It is tasked with researching, developing and recommending new innovations and programmes to attract youth participation.

Members

• Paul Seiler - Chair - United States
• Marco Mazzieri - Italy
• Taeko Utsugi - Japan
• Jacinto Cipriota - Argentina
• Marisa Matsuda - Peru
• Guiseppe Guillizioni - Italy
• Rick Riccobono - United States
• André Lachance - Canada
• Valerio Cianfoni – Staff Liaison - Italy

Members

• Jim Baba – Chair - Canada
• Koji Aso - Japan
• Peter Caliendo – United states
• Giuseppe Guilizzoni - Italy
• Glenn Williams - Australia
• George Santiago – Puerto Rico
• Jan Kuipers - Netherlands
• Jong LEE – South Korea
• Chris Haydock – United States
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Gustavo Rodriguez – Chair – United States
• Larry Young – United States
• Lisa Turbitt - Canada
• Jorge Bauza – United States
• Pierfranco Leone - Italy
• Masato Tomoyose - Japan
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Hiroko Yamada – Chair - Japan
• Narelle Gosstray - Australia
• Robin Wallace – United States
• André Lachance - Canada
• Amy Park – Staff Liaison – South Korea

Members

• Don Porter – Chair – United States
• Mashilo Matsetela – South Africa
• Javier Anaya - Columbia
• Maria Alanis - Mexico
• Laurie Gouthro – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Rex Capil – Chair – New Zealand
• Jacinto Cipriota - Argentina
• Tirelo Mukokomani - Botswana
• Gabriel Waage – Czech Republic
• Tony Giles – New Zealand
• Laurie Gouthro – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Bob Stanton – Chair - Canada
• Chet Gray - Australia
• Hiromi Tokuda - Japan
• Antonio Morales - Columbia
• Mark Berkman – United States
• Laurie Gouthro – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Kevin Quinn – Chair - Canada
• Craig Cress – United States
• Tony Giles – New Zealand
• Rolando Guerrero - Mexico
• Taeko Utsugi - Japan
• Colum Lavery - Ireland
• Cornelia Chwojka - Austria
• Giovanni Sanna - Italy
• Laurie Gouthro – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Bob Stanton – Chair - Canada
• Wayne Saunders – New Zealand
• Haruhi Goto - Japan
• Carolina Stadhouders - Netherlands
• Christina Drumm – United States
• Santos Vazquez – Puerto Rico
• Vincent Maoeng – South Africa
• Laurie Gouthro – Staff Liaison – United States

Members

• Luis Melero – Chair – Spain
• Hiromi Tokuda - Japan
• Antonio Morales - Columbia
• Gabriel Waage – Czech Republic
• Joan Garcia – Staff Liaison – United States