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WDSF Statutes
June 15, 2008
INTERNATIONAL DANCESPORT FEDERATION
STATUTES
Incorporating all Amendments adopted at the 2008 Annual General Meeting, June 15, 2008
PREAMBLE
The International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) is the international federation governing all
aspects of DanceSport worldwide, either directly through its own organs, or through its
national member bodies, or by administrative agreements with other persons and bodies.
The IDSF (formerly ICAD) was founded in 1957 to organize and improve DanceSport. Later
it extended its jurisdiction to include DanceSport generally. Its objects are defined in the
DanceSport competitions, which are subject to IDSF RULES.
Each Member of IDSF is the sole recognized representative of DanceSport in its country or a
special multinational sports body, and representatives of each such body attend the General
Meeting of the IDSF, which is the legislative organ controlling all DanceSport affairs, based
on universal sporting principles.
The purpose of these Statutes is:
1. to ensure that IDSF's affairs are based on clear, sound principles and a strict
democratic process, and not on other factors;
2 to ensure fairness, openness and principles in the conduct of IDSF's affairs;
3. to assure the free and effective participation of Members in the General Meeting;
4. to ensure accountability by the Presidium to the General Meeting;
5. to ensure the improvement and popularization of DanceSport;
6. to ensure a sound legal basis and modern principles of business administration in
IDSF's affairs;
7. to ensure the clear and effective operation of the Presidium as the IDSF's political
and strategic organ between General Meetings;
8. to ensure effective management of IDSF by the Managing Committee;
9. to ensure the financial success of IDSF; and
10. to ensure that DanceSport is admitted to and remains in the Medal Programme of
the Olympic Games.
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STATUTES
Article 1
Name, Constitution, and Registered Address
1. The name of the federation shall be "International DanceSport Federation" or "IDSF".
2. IDSF is constituted as a separate legal person in Switzerland, with limited liability
under Articles 52-59 and 60-79 of the Swiss Civil Code, and its registered address
shall be in Lausanne, Switzerland, or as determined by the Presidium. The Presidium
may apply for registration of IDSF in the Register of Commerce of a Canton of
Switzerland in which it has its registered address.
Article 2
Objects
The IDSF is a non-partisan, non-profit-making body. The objects of the IDSF are:
a) to organize, govern, represent, produce and promote DanceSport;
b) to unite in recognised IDSF member Federations, and to maintain jurisdiction over all
DanceSport athletes, trainers, coaches, adjudicators, scrutineers, administrators, or
other technical officials and allied sportspeople, including all amateurs competitors;
c) to enact, administer, and enforce standardized rules to which all international
competitions organized by it or its members are subject based on sporting principles,
and in the best interests of DanceSport;
d) to obtain the admission of DanceSport to the Medal Programme of the Olympic
Games; to support and promote Olympism in DanceSport and the world; and to
support the objectives of the International Olympic Committee; and
e) to advise and assist its members with their work in their own countries.
Article 3
Financial Year
The financial year shall be the calendar year.
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Article 4
Membership
Members of IDSF shall fall into one of the following classifications:
1. Full Members
Full Members shall be DanceSport bodies of countries which are recognized by the
IDSF. Only one such body from any country may become a member.
2. Associate Member
Associate Members shall be bodies which have aims and objectives declared and
agreed by the General Meeting to be beneficial to the aims and objectives of the IDSF,
and shall have full voting rights in the General Meeting.
3. Provisional Members
Provisional Members shall be bodies which only partially fulfil membership
qualifications. A Provisional Member does not have voting rights, but does have the
right to nominate delegates to attend and speak at the General Meeting. Provisional
Members can nominate couples to all IDSF-granted competitions according to Rule 5
of the IDSF Competition Rules.
4. Honorary Members
Honorary Members are individuals who have rendered outstanding services to
international DanceSport and who are voted Honorary Membership by the General
Meeting.
Article 5
Admission and Termination of Membership
1. Applications
Applications for Membership must be submitted to the General Secretary. The
following must be included with an application:
a) a copy of the applicant's Constitution;
b) a list of the applicant's members;
c) the names and addresses of the applicant's Executive Committee; and
d) the following statement: "we agree to abide by the IDSF's Statutes, Rules
and Regulations, and to abide by decisions of the IDSF's General Meeting and
Presidium."
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The Presidium may require the applicant to answer questions and provide further
financial and other information, including proof to the satisfaction of the Presidium
that it does not conflict with, or is not in rivalry with an existing member of IDSF.
2. Admission is decided by the Presidium. No reason need be given when refusing an
application. If an application is rejected, the unsuccessful applicant is entitled to
require the General Secretary to present its application to the next General Meeting,
which may admit any applicant by a two-thirds majority vote.
3. Admission occurs when an applicant's application for membership has been accepted
by the Presidium.
4. Admission to membership, and renewal of membership by payment of the annual
Membership fee, constitutes a contract between the IDSF and the Member. The terms
of that contract include the term that in return for membership in IDSF, Members
agree to abide by the IDSF's Statutes, rules and regulations, and to abide by
decisions of the IDSF's General Meeting and Presidium, and to comply with the World
Anti-Doping Code, the IDSF Anti-Doping Code, including requiring all athletes and
support personnel within their jurisdiction to recognize and be bound by the World
Anti-Doping Code and the IDSF Anti-Doping Code.
5. All members must be notified in writing of any new admission and of any change in
membership. It is a condition of membership of the IDSF that the policies, rules,
statutes and programs of the member comply with World Anti-Doping Code
(WADC).
6. Members may renew their Membership annually by payment of the annual
Membership Fee on or before March 31st. Membership Fees may not be set off by a
Member against any other debt or claim.
7. A member may resign from the IDSF at any time by registered letter or facsimile
transmission addressed to the General Secretary who may accept or decline to accept
such resignation. Such resignation does not affect the member's financial obligations
for the current calendar year.
8. A Member may be expelled by a two-thirds majority vote of the General Meeting. A
Motion to expel a Member is not in Order unless the proposer has given the Member
at least one month's notice of the proposer's motion to expel, by registered letter or
facsimile transmission.
Article 6
Disputes
In view of the international composition of the IDSF and the resultant difficulties in settling
disputes judicially where problems arise between members or between members and the
IDSF, Members waive the right to take such disputes to law, and agree that such disputes
shall be subject to the binding decision of the IDSF Disciplinary Council, the General Meeting
or the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Article 7
Membership Fees
1. Members are required to pay an annual fee to renew their Membership, according to
the Financial regulations.
2. The amount of the annual Membership Fee shall be decided or amended by simple
majority of the General Meeting and subject to amendment at any time by the General
Meeting.
3. The Membership Fee for any year is due on January 1st of that year.
4. Membership Fees paid after March 31st of any year are overdue.
Article 8
Organs of the IDSF
The organs of the IDSF are:
a) the General Meeting
b) the Presidium
c) the Managing Committee of the Presidium
d) the Disciplinary Council
Article 9
General Meeting
1. The General Meeting is the principal and original organ of the federation and consists
of the Members' Delegates and the members of the Presidium. Each Member is
entitled to send two Delegates to the General Meeting.
2. Each Member must provide one of its delegates with written power of attorney which
constitutes the authority to vote. Only one delegate per Member may vote.
3. A Delegate must be a member of the body he or she represents as a Delegate and
must be at least 18 years of age and legally capable of managing all of his or her
personal and business affairs, and may not be:
(a) a corporation;
(b) an undischarged bankrupt;
(c) someone convicted anywhere of an offence in connection with the promotion,
formation or management of a corporation, or involving fraud, or whose
registration to trade in the stock of corporations has been revoked, within five
(5) years of the date of the General Meeting at which he or she proposes to
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serve as a Delegate.
4. Assignment of votes by proxy is permitted, but only in the following written form:
(beginning of form)
INTERNATIONAL DANCESPORT FEDERATION
FORM OF PROXY
FOR THE MEETING OF THE MEMBERS OF
INTERNATIONAL DANCESPORT FEDERATION
SCHEDULED TO BE HELD ON (DATE OF MEETING)
AT (PLACE OF MEETING).
The undersigned signatory of (NAME OF IDSF MEMBER) hereby appoints (PROXY HOLDER'S
NAME), or in his absence (ALTERNATE PROXY HOLDER'S NAME) as the proxy holder for and
on behalf of (NAME OF IDSF MEMBER) to attend, act and vote for and on behalf of (NAME
OF IDSF MEMBER) at the above meeting and at any adjournments thereof, to the same
extent and with the same powers as if the authorized Delegate of (NAME OF IDSF MEMBER)
were present at the said meeting, or any adjournment thereof.
(Please print)
_________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory
_________________________________
Printed Name
_________________________________
Address
_________________________________
Date
(end of form)
Proxies are not valid and may not be used unless they are assigned to a duly
authorized Delegate to the Meeting, completed and signed in this form, and delivered
to the General Secretary or the fax number or address permitted by the General
Secretary at least twelve (12) hours before the scheduled time of the Meeting,
provided always that if the General Secretary is not satisfied with any form of proxy
submitted to him or her then the General Secretary shall submit the proxy for the
approval of the Meeting as the first order of business of the Meeting after
ascertainment of Members present, and the decision of the Meeting on the question
shall be final.
5. No Member may represent more than two further Members by proxy in addition to his
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or her own Member body.
6. Presidium Members may serve as Delegates. Presidium Members may receive and
vote proxies.
7. Honorary Members may serve as Delegates. Honorary Members may receive and vote
proxies.
8. At the General Meeting each Member has two votes. Honorary members have one
vote. Provisional members have no vote.
9. An Ordinary General meeting must be held in every financial year.
Article 10
Convocation of the General Meeting
1. The General Secretary shall convene an Annual General Meeting by notice in writing to
all Members by mail on or before January 15th every year.
2. The General Secretary shall communicate the date and venue for the General Meeting
by notice in writing to all Members by mail at least four (4) months before the General
Meeting.
3. Motions for the agenda must be submitted to the General Secretary in writing by mail,
facsimile transmission ("fax") or electronic mail ("e-mail") not later than three (3)
months before the General Meeting and accompanied by a brief background statement
by the proposer explaining the reason for the proposed intended effect of the Motion.
4. The General Secretary shall communicate the final agenda and motions on notice for
the General Meeting in writing to all members by mail, fax transmission or e-mail at
least two (2) months before the General Meeting.
Article 11
General Meeting Procedure
1. The General meeting shall be chaired by the President, or alternatively the First Vice
President, or alternatively a Delegate elected by the Meeting for the whole or any part
of the Meeting.
2. The General Meeting is duly constituted if at least one quarter (1/4) of the voting
Members is represented by Delegates or proxy. If the General Meeting is not duly
constituted then a new General Meeting may be convened according to Article 10 with
the same agenda, and that General Meeting will be duly constituted regardless of the
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number of the members represented.
3. In order to ensure a fair and democratic process and the efficient conduct of business,
the proceedings of the General Meeting shall be governed by the following Rules of
Order:
(a) motions may be made by any Delegate, Presidium Member, or Honorary
Member;
(b) the following take precedence over all other matters before the Meeting, in the
following order: Points of Order (i.e. questions or objections regarding the
proper order to be followed in the Meeting, including motions to close debate on
any question), Points of Privilege (i.e. questions or objections touching on the
privileges of a Delegate or a Member), and Points of Information (i.e. questions
seeking further and better information and explanation of any matter before the
Meeting);
(c) every Member of the Presidium may speak at the General Meeting, and in the
event of a dispute, the following is the order of precedence for speaking and
proposing motions:
(i) the Chairman;
(ii) Presidium Members;
(iii) Delegates;
(iv) Honorary Members; and
(v) guests
(d) the Chair shall recognize Delegates in order of their request to speak;
(e) subject to the vote of the Meeting, the Chair may impose time limits on debate
and on proposers making and speaking to motions, and may impose equal time
limits on any speaker wishing to speak to any matter;
(f) motions may only be tabled, amended, withdrawn or otherwise disposed of by
vote of the Meeting as required in these Statutes, called by asking "who is in
favour of this motion?";
(g) debate may only be closed by majority vote of the Meeting on a Point of Order;
and
(h) other Rules of Order adopted by the General Meeting on Points of Order,
provided always that in the event of a dispute over any Rule of Order, the General
Meeting may submit the dispute to the ruling of the Chairman, whose decision shall
be final.
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4. Except as otherwise provided in these Statutes, the General Meeting passes its
resolutions by simple majority of votes of the voting Delegates, including proxy
holders. Resolutions to amend these Statutes require three (3) months' written notice
to the General Secretary and a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. In any vote,
abstentions and invalid votes are disregarded. If there is equality of votes, the
President or in his or her absence the Chairman may cast a deciding vote, but
otherwise the motion fails.
5. Voting is by a show of hands, unless one-third of the Delegates present request a
secret ballot.
6. The General Meeting elects the Presidium according to Article 13 and the Auditor
according to Article 17 respectively of these Statutes. Elections shall not be held until
after debate and voting on Motions of the Presidium and Motions of the Members.
7. Minutes must be taken in writing at every General Meeting and verified by two (2)
Presidium Members forthwith after any adjournment thereof. They must be
transcribed within one (1) month and signed by the President and another member of
the Presidium. A copy shall be sent to all Members by ordinary mail, fax, or e-mail
without delay and in any event within two (2) months of the end of the Meeting.
8. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in these Statutes, the Presidium
may submit urgent motions to the General Meeting without prior notice, with the
approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.
9. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by a decision of the Presidium
and must be convened if at least one-third (1/3) of the Members entitled to vote
requests such a meeting in writing, stating their reasons.
10. The Extraordinary General Meeting must be convened immediately per Article 10.
11. For greater certainty, the Extraordinary General Meeting is a General Meeting and is
subject to the same requirements as an ordinary General Meeting.
Article 12
Postal Ballots
In addition to the procedures available in the General Meeting, the Presidium may conduct
votes on motions by post or fax, provided always that it may not do so regarding any
motion to amend the Statutes. Members shall be allowed a minimum of two (2) months to
vote, failure to reply shall constitute abstention, and if there is equality of votes, the motion
fails. This procedure is called a "postal ballot". A postal ballot is valid provided that 50% of
the membership has voted at the end of the period which the Presidium orders for voting.
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Article 13
Presidium
1. The Presidium is the secondary political organ of the IDSF and is subordinate to the
General Meeting.
2. Subject to the will of the General Meeting, the Presidium is empowered to govern
IDSF's affairs between General Meetings and to represent IDSF in any manner, in the
best interests of DanceSport.
3. The Presidium consists of:
the President
the First Vice President
the Second Vice President
the General Secretary
the Treasurer
the Sports Director
and up to 6 Ordinary Members
Honorary Life President
The Ordinary Members and the Second Vice President are responsible to undertake
various functional activities as directed by the President or the Presidium.
4. The Presidium, other than the Honorary Life President, is elected by secret ballot at
the Annual General Meeting every third year.
5. Successful candidates to the Presidium shall be those obtaining the greatest number of
votes. If there is a tie between two or more candidates a second election shall be held.
If the tie persists, lots will be drawn to decide the successful candidate. In an election
for General Members of the Presidium, anyone who casts a ballot must vote for the
same number of candidates as the number to be elected; and, e.g. for greater
certainty, if six (6) General Members of the Presidium are to be elected, then a ballot
will be invalid unless it is marked for the election of six (6) different candidates out of
the total of the candidates nominated for the position of General Member of the
Presidium.
6. Anyone who is legally capable of managing all of his or her personal and business
affairs, and is not:
(a) a corporation;
(b) an undischarged bankrupt; or
(c) someone convicted anywhere of an offence in connection with the promotion,
formation or management of a corporation, or involving fraud, or whose
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registration to trade in the stock of corporations has been revoked within five (5)
years of the date of the General Meeting at which he or she is nominated for
election to the Presidium,
may be elected to the Presidium or the Managing Committee, whether or not he or she
is a Delegate or Presidium Member, provided always that no one may be elected to
the Presidium unless she or he is present at the General Meeting where such elections
are held or unless she or he has previously consented in writing to election to the
Presidium.
7. If the office of any Presidium member becomes vacant, the Presidium may appoint a
successor to that office to hold that office until the next General Meeting, at which
time an election must be held to fill that position for the balance of the three-year
term.
8. The Presidium shall constitute and appoint members to Commissions to assist it in its
work, including the Sports Commission, the Finance Commission and the Press
Commission, and these Commissions shall be responsible to and report to the
Presidium.
9. The Presidium may appoint and dismiss members of a Council of Advisors of up to
fifteen (15) members to advise and assist it in the development of DanceSport.
10. Every Presidium Member owes IDSF the duties of Good Faith and Competence.
Article 14
Powers of the Presidium
1. When the General Meeting is not in session, the Presidium possesses all of the powers
which are not specifically reserved to the General Meeting by law or under these
Statutes, and is empowered to make any decision which is not specifically reserved
for the Presidium under these Statutes, including taking action against Members,
athletes or other persons who violate or may violate the Statutes or the Rules, or
harm or may harm IDSF. In such cases the Presidium may take any action within its
powers, including but not limited to:
a) prohibit the organizing or production of international competitions or the
participation of a Member's athletes in any competition,
b) reprimand a Member,
c) suspend some or all of the membership privileges of any Member,
d) revoke the membership of a Member;
e) enforce any appropriate sanctions against individuals.
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2. Appeals against such decisions by the Presidium may be brought by the member to
the attention of the IDSF Disciplinary Council or the General Meeting (as the case may
be), the decision of which shall be final, subject to the provisions of Article 6. An
appeal by a member must be made in writing and delivered either to the Chairman of
the Disciplinary Council or to the General Secretary (as the case may be) within two
(2) months of receiving notice of the Presidium's decision. The appeal must be
reasonably clear. For further clarity, filing an appeal of such a decision does not
suspend or affect the Presidium's decision, which shall be remain in full force until the
next formal decision of the competent body has been taken unless that decision is
varied by the Presidium.
3. The Presidium may adopt its own Operating Policies in order to ensure the more
democratic, collegiate and efficient conduct of IDSF's affairs.
Article 15
Work of the Presidium
1. The work of the Presidium shall be conducted by correspondence by mail, fax and email.
Meetings of the Presidium shall only be convened if more than half the members
can attend. Travelling expenses for such meetings will be paid as far as possible from
IDSF funds.
2. Decisions of the Presidium require a simple majority. Each Member of the Presidium
has one vote. The President shall have a casting vote in any tied vote of the
Presidium. The result of any vote must be made known to all members of the
Presidium without delay.
Article 16
Management and Representation
1. The President, the First Vice President, the General Secretary, the Treasurer and the
Sports Director constitute the Managing Committee, and, subject to the discretion of
the Presidium, represents the IDSF.
2. The Managing Committee has the duty and the authority to manage and conduct
IDSF's affairs according to Modern Sports Principles and modern Management
Principles.
3. The President is the chief political representative of IDSF and has the duty and
authority to lead and to try to build consensus within IDSF. The President is also the
Chief Executive Officer of IDSF and has full authority to manage the day-to-day
business and sport affairs of IDSF.
4. The First Vice President is the deputy chief political representative of IDSF and,
subject to the President's directions, has the duty and authority to lead and to try to
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build consensus. The First Vice President is also the Assistant Executive Officer of IDSF
and, subject to the President's directions, has authority to manage the day-to-day
business of IDSF. In the event of the resignation, termination, death or incapacity of
the President, the First Vice President has the duty and authority to fully assume the
office, authority and title of the President.
5. The Second Vice President is a political representative of IDSF and is subject to the
Presidium's directions.
6. The General Secretary is in charge of the IDSF's office and its World Wide Web site,
and acts according to the President's instructions.
7. The Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer of IDSF and has the duty and full authority
to manage the day-to-day financial and accounting affairs of IDSF according to
modern Management Principles. The Treasurer has the duty to report to the General
Meeting and the Presidium regarding IDSF's accounts and financial affairs.
8. The Sports Director is the Chief Sports Officer of IDSF and has the duty and full
authority to manage the day-to-day sports affairs of IDSF according to Modern Sports
Principles and modern Management Principles. The Sports Director has the duty to
report to the General Meeting and the Presidium regarding IDSF's sports affairs.
Article 17
Finances
1. IDSF's books and accounts will be managed by the Treasurer according to good
commercial procedures.
2. The Treasurer must present the financial report to every Ordinary General Meeting and
every meeting of the Presidium.
3. Every third Ordinary General Meeting will appoint an Auditor. The Treasurer shall
obtain the Auditor's signed Report prior to every Annual General Meeting and
distribute it to Delegates prior to the beginning of the Annual General Meeting.
Article 18
Disciplinary Council
1. The Disciplinary Council ("the DC") is the independent jurisdictional organ of IDSF. It
considers and renders judgments on the subjects referred to it by the Code of the
IDSF Disciplinary Council and the provisions of the Anti-Doping Code.
2. The composition of the Disciplinary Council and the required profile of its members
shall be defined in the provisions of the IDSF Disciplinary Council Code ("IDSF DC
Code").
3. Members of the Disciplinary Council may not at the same time be a member of the
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IDSF Presidium or of the Managing Committee. Members of the Disciplinary Council
exercise their duties independently according to the doctrine of trias politica and are
not bound by any instructions of other IDSF organs regarding these duties.
4. The members of the Disciplinary Council are elected by the General Meeting.
5. The Chairman of the Disciplinary Council must present a report on its decisions during
the previous year, to every General Meeting.
Article 19
Honors
1. Honorary Life Presidents and Honorary Members may be appointed by the General
Meeting. At the request of the President, they may perform advisory and ceremonial
functions.
2. The General Meeting and the Presidium may create and confer upon any person such
Honors as they deem to be deserved and advisable in the interests of DanceSport.
Article 20
Rules and Regulation
1. The IDSF has the following Rules and Regulations:
a) Financial Regulations
b) Competition Rules
c) Rules for Adjudication
d) Regulations for Television, Broadcasting, New Media, Advertising and
Sponsorship
e) Anti-Doping Code
f) Disciplinary Council Code
2. The Competition Rules, the Rules for Adjudication, the Anti-Doping Code and
the Disciplinary Council Code are integral parts of the Statutes.
3. The other Rules and Regulations are not an integral part of the Statutes and may be
amended by postal ballot or by the General Meeting.
4. Athletes and adjudicators can be bound to IDSF Rules and Regulations by forms of
consent (Appendix A to this article).
Article 21
Liquidation of the IDSF
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1. The dissolution of the IDSF may be decided only by a General Meeting called
specifically for the purpose and requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority, subject to at least
two-third (2/3) of the Members being present or represented.
2. In the event of the IDSF being dissolved or of its objects becoming invalid, its assets
will be assigned to the International Olympic Committee or to any other internationally
recognized sport body or bodies. No monies will be paid to Members of the IDSF.
Article 22
Common Language in IDSF
1. The official language of the IDSF is English.
2. In any question of interpretation of the Statutes, Competition Rules and
Regulations, the English version shall be binding. |
