Tokyo 2020, the ITA and Japanese Government bodies have vowed to work together before and during the Games ©Getty Images

The International Testing Agency (ITA) has signed an agreement with Tokyo 2020 and three Japanese Government organisations to work together on anti-doping operations during and before the Olympics.

The ITA will monitor anti-doping operations with the support of Tokyo 2020 and the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA), it said in announcing the five-party Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC).

Tokyo 2020 signed the agreement along with the ITA, JADA, Japan Sport Council and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Japan Sport Agency.

This collaboration focuses on the areas of intelligence and investigation at the Games, designed to ensure the Olympics are as clean as possible and that all available measures are taken to stop the trafficking of banned substances.

All signatories have vowed to take a zero-tolerance approach to doping to protect the sporting integrity of the Games.

"We are delighted to conclude this five-party agreement covering anti-doping for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics," said Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto.

"In previous years, the problem of doping has cast a shadow not only across the Olympic and Paralympic Games but across various other sporting events too.

"I believe mutual cooperation forms a very important part of any anti-doping policy.

"With this memorandum, we will deepen our cooperation to ensure that the Tokyo 2020 Games will be a place where clean athletes can perform at their best."

An independent anti-doping will be carried out by the ITA at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
An independent anti-doping will be carried out by the ITA at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8.

The ITA, established by the International Olympic Committee in 2018, will be responsible for carrying out the anti-doping programme at the Olympics for the first time.

"I am very pleased to see that the highest Japanese authorities in charge of sport, including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, have reached this agreement with the ITA," said ITA Foundation Board chair Valerie Fourneyron.

"It will secure proper channels of communication and the efficient sharing of information should there be any suspicions of doping activities in Tokyo this summer.

"This Memorandum further underlines the dedication of the involved partners to deliver a clean and fair Olympic Games and I look forward to a strong collaboration between all entities in the lead up to and during the Tokyo 2020 Games."

Tokyo 2020 is preparing a similar MoC for the Paralympics, scheduled for August 24 to September 5, and hopes it too will be signed by all relevant parties.