Softball NZ disappointed stronger sanction wasn’t applied after World Cup winning Venezuela pitcher’s three-year doping ban
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
The Black Sox will not get a World Cup gold medal despite a Venezuela pitcher’s three-year ban for doping, but Softball New Zealand believes an upgrade could have been considered as special case.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has confirmed Maiker Pimentel, who pitched Venezuela to a 3-0 win over the Black Sox in July’s World Cup final, has been banned for three years after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid.
Pimentel was provisionally suspended in August, and now the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has confirmed he has been disqualified from all results, statistics and awards obtained since his July 12 positive doping test.
A WBSC statement issued last week stated: “According to the ITA (International Testing Agency), Pimentel has accepted a three-year period of ineligibility after testing positive for the prohibited substance stanozolol.
“His period of ineligibility runs until 5 August 2028.”
Pimentel has been stripped of his World Cup gold medal, his World Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and all individual statistics recorded from July 12, 2025.
But the WBSC confirmed that in accordance with its Anti-Doping Rules, the final World Cup standings will remain unchanged, meaning first-time winners Venezuela retain their gold medal and the Black Sox, who had previously won seven world titles, retain silver.
WBSC rules - which are in line with WADA (World Anti-Doping Authority) regulations - state that teams will only be stripped of medals if “two or more members” breach doping rules.
Softball New Zealand chair Hoani Lambert told The Post on Tuesday that he felt the WBSC could have considered a team sanction.
“Obviously we are really disappointed in the positive test for Pimentel. He played quite an important role in Venezuela’s win at the World Cup. That shouldn’t detract from the achievement of the Black Sox, but sadly it does.
“We welcome the sanction from WBSC or him, individually, but it is quite a high bar for any sport to have a team sanction applied when the requirement is for more than two players to test positive before a team sanction to be mandatory.”
Lambert said WADA rules allow “for discretion to be applied and for stricter sanctions to be placed on teams” in special situations.
“That flexibility is available to any international sporting body, including the WBSC.”
'We would have thought that in a situation where the tournament’s MVP is found to have a positive test, this might be exactly the sort of situation where you might like to apply that sort of discretion.
“We do think this is a bit of an unusual situation. Yes, it’s only a single person who tested positive, but he did have such an impact on Venezuela’s result.
“Without him, we are pretty sure that they would not have won that final.”
Lambert noted that softball pitchers do “have more dominance potentially than individual players in other team sports”.
Pimentel dominated the Canada tournament, pitching 34 innings across six games, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.88 ERA. He led the tournament in wins (4) and took 58 strikeouts - 16 more than his nearest rival.
He struck out nine Black Sox batters in the final, allowing just three safe hits and also fanned 10 Kiwis in Venezuela’s 7-2 win over New Zealand in pool play.
Captain Cole Evans, Thomas Enoka and Seth Gibson were the only Black Sox batters to record safe hits off Pimentel in the final.
While Pimentel, 28, was under provisional suspension, the WBSC announced Black Sox pitcher Liam Potts as world softballer of the year for 2025.
Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic steroid that promotes lean muscle growth and enhances strength. It is a non-specified substance, prohibited in and out of competition.
Stanozolol has been banned by sports authorities since 1974. The most famous breach came in 1988 when Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was disqualified and stripped of his 100m gold medal at the Seoul Olympics for testing positive to stanozolol.
The Black Sox - coached by Thomas Makea - may not have seen the last of Pimentel.
His suspension ends in 2028, which would make him potentially eligible for the 2029 World Cup finals should Venezuela qualify.
Meanwhile, Lambert said SNZ were “delighted with the Black Sox’’ being back on the world podium and felt Makea had rebuilt the team’s culture.
A “very positive” campaign review had been held an announcement would be made soon on coaching reappointments.