CONSTITUTIVE AIA
ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DES ARBITRES
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
As approved at the Extra-Ordinary Congress in Barcelona on 23rd July 2003
1. CONSTITUTION
1.1 The Association Internationale des Arbitres (A.I.A.) was founded in Mexico in 1968 by various international referees who agreed to accept its Articles of Association.
1.2 In its activities A.I.A. acts in conformity with the principles of the Olympic Charter and it is a condition of membership that the members declare their willingness to accept the Articles of Association throughout the period of their membership of A.I.A.
1.3 A.I.A. is a non-profit making organisation in which no political or religious distinction or discrimination is allowed. A.I.A. seeks to promote the fraternity of good sportsmanship within all countries, within the Olympic spirit.
1.3 The official language of A.I.A. is English.
2. AIMS
2.1 The aims of A.I.A. are:
a) to encourage collaboration between all referees and to protect their common interests.
b) to establish and maintain collaboration between A.I.A., the International Federations, National Federations and their respective technical committees.
c) to provide advice on the F.I.N.A. Rules of Water Polo in order to contribute towards a consistent application of the Rules.
d) to provide advice regarding the systems of refereeing practiced in the various countries in order to bring about a generally accepted conception of refereeing which would be best suited to the demands of the sport.
e) to encourage direct contacts between the referees of the various countries in order to facilitate the exchange of experiences, to improve mutual understanding, to extend contacts and to reinforce friendship between the members.
f) to publicise the availability of any materials or aids which might be of benefit to the training of referees.
g) to provide for the regular publication of a magazine.
h) to offer collaboration in connection with the appointment of referees during important international events.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership of A.I.A. is open to:
a) the international referees of countries affiliated to F.I.N.A.
b) former international referees.
3.2 There is no limit to the number of members per country.
3.3 Referees who wish to join A.I.A. shall submit an application to the Secretary, providing such details as may be necessary for the Secretary to be able to consider the application.
3.4 Referees who wish to join A.I.A. shall at the time of their application also submit the membership fee to the Treasurer. Former international referees may pay a reduced membership fee but shall not be entitled to receive any official uniforms or materials which may otherwise be provided to members who have paid the full membership fee.
3.5 Only members who have been in membership for at least two years or have paid two years' membership fees at the time of their application shall be entitled to receive any official uniforms or materials which may be provided by A.I.A.
3.6 Membership fees shall be payable annually, before 31st December. A member who has not paid the membership fee by 31st December shall be declared suspended from membership.
3.7 Having paid the annual membership fee a member can attend the Congress and has the right to vote.
3.8 The amount of the annual membership fee shall be decided by the Executive Committee.
The fee for 2001 - 2005 is as follows:-
- Full membership €55 per annum
- Reduced fee for former international referees €30 per annum.
3.9 If a member fails to respect the Articles of Association, the Bureau shall have the power to suspend his membership or to exclude him from membership of A.I.A., subject to the member having the right of appeal to the Executive Committee.
3.10 A member who has resigned or been excluded from membership or who has ceased to be a member by virtue of not having paid the annual membership fee shall immediately forego the rights and benefits of membership, including the right to submit a claim against any of the assets of A.I.A.
4. CONGRESS
4.1 The Congress has the supreme authority of A.I.A. and consists of all referees whose membership fee is paid up-to-date.
4.2 Members shall be given not less than two months' notice of the date and venue of the Congress, including an agenda of the business to be transacted. In exceptional or urgent circumstances the period of notice may be reduced to one month with the approval of the Executive Committee.
4.3 The Congress shall normally be held every four years on the occasion of the World Water Polo Championships.
4.4 In addition to his own vote each member shall be permitted to vote as proxy for each other member of the same country and not more than three members from any other country provided that each member’s membership fees are paid up-to-date.
4.5 The order of the business to be transacted at the Congress shall be as follows:
a) Address of the President
b) Report of the Secretary
c) Report of the Treasurer
d) Proposals (if any) to amend the Articles of Association
e) Election of the President
f) Election of the Executive Committee
g) Other business
4.6 Nominations for office of President and for the members of the Executive Committee shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later than three months before the date the Congress. Voting papers and proxy forms shall then be sent by the Secretary to all eligible members not less than two months before the date of the Congress.
4.7 Voting papers and proxy forms, duly signed by the members concerned, shall be sent by mail to the Secretary or otherwise submitted to him not later than one hour before the time of start of the Congress. Only the official voting papers and proxy forms issued by the Secretary shall be accepted.
4.8 An Extra-Ordinary Congress can be convened at the request of three-quarters of the members of the Executive Committee, subject to proper notice being given in accordance with Article 4.2.
[5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
5.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of the President together with ten members elected by the Congress.
5.2 Provided that appropriate nominations have been received in accordance with Article 4.6, the voting at the Congress shall be conducted in such a manner as to ensure that each of the five continents is represented on the Executive Committee.
5.3 There cannot be on the Executive Committee more than one member from the same country (or national Olympic Committee).
5.4 In the event that a member of the Executive Committee resigns from the Committee or from A.I.A., the vacancy shall be filled (subject to Article 5.3) for the remainder of the term of office by the member who obtained the highest number of votes but was not elected to the Executive Committee at the previous Congress.
5.5 The Executive Committee shall have the power to decide upon the policies of A.I.A. and, subject to the Articles of Association, to determine the manner in which such policies shall be brought into effect.
5.6 Voting in the Executive Committee shall be by majority and in the event of a tie the President shall have a second or casting vote.
5.7 At its first meeting the Executive Committee shall elect from among its members the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
5.8 The Executive Committee shall so far as possible meet once a year, convened by the President. In matters of urgency the President may call for a vote by post.
5.9 The Executive Committee may nominate any kind of working commission it considers appropriate.
5.10 The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member or members with specific responsibilities:
a) for publication of the Association's bulletin;
b) as the A.I.A. Webmaster.
Article 5.3 shall not apply to such appointments.
5.11 The Executive Committee shall have the power to act on all matters relating to A.I.A., including any matters not provided for within the Articles of Association.
6. BUREAU
6.1 The Bureau shall consist of the President, the two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
6.2 The Bureau shall have the power to deal with matters of urgent business, including the decision to suspend or exclude a member under Article 3.9.
6.3 Voting in the Bureau shall be by majority and in the event of a tie, the President shall have a second or casting vote.
7. PRESIDENT
7.1 The President shall preside over the Congress and any meetings of the Bureau and of the Executive Committee.
7.2 The President shall have the right to represent the A.I.A. on all appropriate occasions.
7.3 The President shall have the responsibility of ensuring that the Articles of Association are complied with.
7.4 If the President is unable at any time to undertake his duties and responsibilities, one of the Vice-Presidents shall act in his place.
8. SECRETARY
8.1 The Secretary shall be responsible for the administration of A.I.A. including the agendas and minutes of meetings of the Congress, Executive Committee and the Bureau.
8.2 The office of A.I.A. shall be the residence of the Secretary.
9. TREASURER
9.1 The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial affairs of A.I.A. including the collection of membership fees at the due time, and has the right to sign cheques.
9.2 The Treasurer shall present to the Congress a full financial report including the current balance of the A.I.A. accounts.
10. DURATION OF OFFICE
10.1 The President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and the members of the Executive Committee are all elected for a period of four years. The outgoing officers and members shall be eligible for re-election.
11. ALTERATION TO THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
11.1 Proposals to amend the Articles of Association shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later than three months prior to the Congress. Such proposals shall be included in the notice for the Congress.
11.2 Amendments to the Articles of Association shall require the approval of three-quarters of those present and voting at the Congress. Any amendment which may be approved under this Article shall become effective one month following the date of the Congress.
12. DISSOLUTION
12.1 A.I.A. shall have no limit as to its duration. Any proposal to dissolve A.I.A. shall require the approval of three-quarters of those present and voting at the Congress provided that such a majority represents at least two-thirds of the total number of members paid up-to-date as at the date of the Congress.
12.2 In the event of a proposal to dissolve A.I.A. being approved in accordance with Article 12.1, the Congress shall nominate a person or persons to be responsible for its dissolution and the liquidation of the assets (if any) of A.I.A.
• The executive Committee will have also a new possibility of assigning a member special responsibilities for the publication of the copy of AIA News. Logically these decisions should begin to be in use after the Congress of 1998. However, because it is judged particularly useful the decision of the “period of 10 days” they will be followed from now, except of course if a member has intense objections. |
