Dec 23 (Reuters) - The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) has become the latest signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Thursday. The IMMAF"s application to become a WADA signatory had initially been rejected in 2018, prompting the sport"s governing body to file a lawsuit. A WADA signatory status is required for all sports federations wishing to become members of the Global Alliance of International Sports Federations (GAISF), which helps secure funding as well as being recognised as an Olympic sport. "We would particularly like to acknowledge the efforts that have been made by IMMAF to bring this to fruition," WADA President Witold Banka said in a statement. "In order to gain approval under the terms of the revised policy, the federation needed to go through a stringent process." The process includes independent experts assessing the IMMAF"s governance, a Signatory Expert Group independent from WADA management reviewing its application and completing a Code Compliance Questionnaire to check the quality of its anti-doping programme. "This is a positive step for IMMAF and its athletes, who will now enjoy the protection afforded by the Code," Banka added. "In signing the Code, it joins the approximately 700 sports organizations that have already pledged their support to the harmonized global anti-doping movement."