Statute: Ukrainian Fencing Federation

54,712 characters 2024 Data Source

Approved

By decision of the Conference of the Public Organization Fencing Federation of Ukraine

Minutes dated September 4, 2024

STATUTE

OF THE PUBLIC ORGANIZATION

UKRAINIAN FENCING FEDERATION

(new edition, identification code 26114215)

Kyiv - 2024

Article 1. General Provisions

1.1. PUBLIC ORGANIZATION UKRAINIAN FENCING FEDERATION (hereinafter referred to as the “Federation”) is a legal entity with all-Ukrainian status and was established in accordance with the Civil Code of Ukraine, the Economic Code of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On Public Associations”, the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports”, and other regulatory and legal acts. In its activities, the Federation is guided by the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On Public Associations”, the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports”, the current legislation of Ukraine, this Statute, the Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance in the Olympic and Sports Movement of the International Olympic Committee, recognizes the Olympic Charter, the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code, the Medical Code of the Olympic Movement, the Code of Ethics of the International Olympic Committee and the Code of Ethics of the Olympic Movement of Ukraine, and also recognizes the jurisdiction of the Sports Arbitration Court at the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

Article 2. Definition of Terms

2.1. Unless otherwise specified in the Statute or implied by the content of the Statute, the following terms and definitions used in the Statute shall have the following meanings:

2.1.1. “Veterans” - individuals who are involved in fencing and have reached the age of 35 as of January 1 of the current year.

2.1.2. “Executive Secretary” - a natural person, member of the Federation, elected by the Conference, who is responsible for the administrative work of the Executive Committee and has the powers defined by the Statute, the current legislation of Ukraine, and granted by the President within the limits defined by the Statute.

2.1.3. “Vice President” - a natural person, member of the Federation, member of the Executive Committee, who is appointed to the position by the President and reports to the President, and has the powers defined by the charter and granted by the President within the limits defined by the charter.

2.1.4. “Executive Committee” - the executive body of the Federation, which has the powers defined by the charter.

2.1.5. “Conference Chair” - a natural person, member of the Federation, who chairs the Conference and has the powers defined by the charter and current legislation of Ukraine.

2.1.6. “Chair of the Audit Commission” - a natural person, member of the Federation, who heads the Audit Commission and has the powers defined by the charter.

2.1.7. “Day” - a calendar day (if the end of any period specified in these Articles of Association falls on a weekend, public holiday, or non-working day as defined by the laws of Ukraine, then in such a case the period shall end on the next working day in accordance with the applicable laws of Ukraine).

2.1.8. “Children” - individuals who are involved in fencing and who, as of January 1 of the current year, have not reached the age of 13.

2.1.9. “Founders” - individuals, citizens of Ukraine, who are the founders of the Federation on the basis of the current legislation of Ukraine.

2.1.10. “Reporting period” - the reporting calendar period for the preparation of reports by the governing bodies of the Federation to its members.

2.1.11. “Cadets” - individuals who practice fencing and who, by January 1 of the year in which the season ends, have reached the age of 12 and have not reached the age limit for participation in cadet competitions set by the International Fencing Federation.

2.1.12. “Conference” - a general meeting of representatives (delegates) of separate divisions of the Federation that are members of the Federation. The Conference is the highest body of the Federation, whose competence is defined by the charter and current legislation of Ukraine.

2.1.13. “President” - a natural person, member of the Federation, official of the Federation, elected by the Conference, who is the head of the executive body of the Federation - the Executive Committee and a member of the Presidium and has the powers defined by the charter.

2.1.14. “Presidium” - a collegial governing body of the Federation, elected by the Conference to perform statutory tasks and having powers defined by the Statute.

2.1.15. “Audit Commission” - a collegial supervisory body of the Federation, whose competence is defined by the charter and current legislation of Ukraine.

2.1.16. “Sponsor” - a natural or legal person who contributes to the development of fencing in Ukraine by making a sponsorship contribution in cash or other material form.

2.1.17. “Sponsorship contribution” - a charitable contribution to the Federation, made by the Sponsor voluntarily, free of charge, and irrevocably.

2.1.18. “Athlete” - a natural person, member of the Federation, who practises fencing and participates in sports competitions.

2.1.19. “Statute” - the Federation’s statute with all its appendices.

2.1.20. “Federation” - PUBLIC ORGANIZATION UKRAINIAN FENCING FEDERATION.

2.1.21. “Members of the Federation” - citizens of Ukraine, citizens of other states, stateless persons, if they reside in Ukraine on legal grounds, who have reached the age of 14 on the date of submitting an application for membership in the Federation, are not recognized by the court as legally incompetent, and recognize and comply with the requirements of this charter.

2.1.22. “Juniors” - individuals who practice fencing and who, by January 1 of the year in which the season ends, have reached the age of 13 and have not reached the age limit for participation in junior competitions established by the International Fencing Federation.

Article 3. Name and Location of the Federation

3.1. Name of the Federation:

3.1.1. In Ukrainian:

  • Full name: PUBLIC ORGANIZATION FENCING FEDERATION OF UKRAINE (ГРОМАДСЬКА ОРГАНІЗАЦІЯ ФЕДЕРАЦІЯ ФЕХТУВАННЯ УКРАЇНИ)
  • Abbreviated name: GO FFU (ГО ФФУ)

3.1.2. In English:

  • Full name: PUBLIC ORGANIZATION UKRAINIAN FENCING FEDERATION
  • Abbreviated name: PO UFF

Article 4. Purpose and Activities of the Federation

4.1. The purpose of the Federation is to ensure the implementation and protection of the rights and freedoms and satisfaction of the interests of the Federation members in the field of sports, including the promotion of the protection of their social, economic, creative, age, national-cultural, and other interests.

The Federation is a non-profit organization, and its main purpose is not to generate profit.

4.2. The Federation promotes the development of sports and artistic fencing in Ukraine, including through participation in the development and implementation of relevant programs.

4.3. The Federation involves various groups of the population in physical culture, health, and sports activities.

4.4. The Federation promotes the training of athletes for national teams and ensures their participation in official international sports competitions.

4.5. The Federation organizes and conducts physical culture, health, and sports events.

4.6. The Federation participates in the staffing of the development of sports fencing in Ukraine and promotes the development of international cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports.

4.7. The main areas of activity of the Federation are:

  1. Promotion and dissemination of sports fencing in Ukraine:

    • Increase in the number of people involved in fencing, including children and veterans;
    • Increase in the number of specialists teaching fencing;
    • Increasing the number of regions, departmental and territorial organizations that promote fencing;
    • Increasing the prestige and popularity of fencing.

  2. Regulatory and legal activities:

    • Development, approval, implementation, and monitoring of the Rules for Conducting Fencing Competitions in Ukraine;
    • Development of drafts, regulatory methodological documents, and monitoring of their implementation.

  3. Sports activities:

    • Organization and conduct of fencing competitions, seminars, and advanced training courses for athletes, coaches, and fencing referees;
    • Sending members of national teams, coaches, and referees to participate in national and international fencing competitions, seminars, and advanced training courses;
    • Organization of training for Ukrainian fencing athletes and national teams;
    • Formation of the coaching staff of the national teams, organization of their work and control over their activities;
    • Organization of the selection of athletes for the national teams in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine, the Federation’s charter, and the norms of international law.

  4. Financial and economic activities:

    • Preparation, approval, and control over the implementation of the Federation’s budget and estimates for the maintenance of the country’s national teams;
    • Development of programs to increase the Federation’s income;
    • Analysis of the Federation’s expenses and measures to reduce costs, optimization of expenses.

  5. International activities:

    • Integration into the global and European sports movement;
    • Cooperation with the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the European Fencing Confederation (EFC), as well as with national federations of other countries;
    • Support, including legal support, for the participation of Ukrainian citizens, including members of the Federation, in international events held by the FIE and EFC.

4.8. The Federation adheres to the rules and principles of the Olympic Charter, national and international acts on anti-doping control in sport, the Code of Ethics of the International Olympic Committee, and the Medical Code of the Olympic Movement.

4.9. The Federation is a participant in civil legal relations and acquires property and non-property rights.

Article 5. Procedure for Acquiring and Terminating Membership in the Federation. Entrance, Membership, and Other Fees.

5.1. Membership in the Federation is based on the principles of voluntariness, equality before the laws of Ukraine and the charter, and the absence of property interests among members.

5.2. Members of the Federation:

5.2.1. Associate members - after submitting a written application for membership in the Federation and paying the membership fee, but before the Presidium makes a decision on full membership. Associate members of the Federation have all the rights of full members of the Federation, except for the right to vote at the Conference and the right to be elected to the executive bodies of the Federation.

5.2.2. Full members - on the basis of a relevant decision by the Presidium, after acquiring the status of an Associate Member.

5.3. Membership in the Federation can only be individual.

5.4. Individual members of the Federation may be: citizens of Ukraine regardless of their place of residence or citizens of other states, stateless persons, if they reside in Ukraine on legal grounds and have reached the age of 14 on the date of application and are not recognized by the court as legally incompetent. Members of the Federation must share the goals and statutory objectives of the Federation, promote its activities, undertake to comply with the requirements of the charter and regulatory documents of the Federation, and pay membership fees.

5.5. Procedure for acquiring membership in the Federation:

5.5.1. To obtain the status of a member of the Federation, an interested person must be involved in fencing (directly engaged in fencing, including in the past; be a parent/guardian of a child who is involved in fencing; be a fencing coach, fencing judge, or their assistant, including in the past; provide any assistance to the Federation, including in the past; promote the development of fencing in Ukraine in any way) must submit a written application to one of the Federation’s separate divisions or to the President of the Federation.

5.5.2. The application shall be drawn up and signed personally by the applicant in any form in the official language, with the mandatory indication of the applicant’s surname, first name, patronymic, date of birth, place of registration and actual place of residence, gender, the separate division of the Federation through which the applicant plans to exercise their right to vote and be elected, as well as the applicant’s contact telephone number, postal address, e-mail address, and date of submission. The text of the application shall indicate the applicant’s intention to become a member of the Federation and the applicant’s confirmation of familiarity with the charter, goals, and objectives of the Federation, their relationship to fencing, their obligation to comply with the requirements of the charter, regulations, and other internal documents of the Federation, as well as their obligation to participate in the statutory activities of the Federation. A document (copy of the document) confirming payment of the entrance fee shall be attached to the application.

5.5.3. The application shall be considered by the Executive Committee of the Federation within a period not exceeding 60 calendar days from the date of its receipt from the applicant. In the case of an application submitted to a separate division of the Federation, the head of the separate division of the Federation shall be obliged to forward the application to the Executive Secretary of the Federation for further consideration by the Executive Committee.

5.5.4. The date of receipt of the application shall be registered by the Executive Secretary and recorded in a special journal.

5.5.5. If the application complies with the Federation’s charter, the Executive Committee shall decide on the admission of the applicant as an associate member of the Federation and make an entry in the register of Federation members.

5.5.6. If the application does not comply with the Federation’s charter, or for other valid reasons, the Executive Committee shall decide to refuse admission to the Federation, make an entry in the Federation’s membership register, and inform the applicant of the reason for refusing admission to the Federation.

5.5.7. The applicant shall be notified of the refusal within 30 days of the decision.

5.5.8. Refusal to admit an applicant to the Federation shall not deprive the applicant of the right to reapply.

5.5.9. After acquiring associate membership in the Federation, at the next meeting of the Presidium, full membership in the Federation is granted by a vote of the members of the Presidium. The decision to grant full membership is made by a simple majority vote of the members of the Presidium.

5.5.10. Each member of the Federation may belong to only one separate division of the Federation, through which they exercise their rights to elect and be elected as delegates to the Conference, members of the Presidium, and members of the Audit Commission. A full member of the Federation may, at their discretion, change their separate subdivision to another by submitting a simple written application to the Executive Committee of the Federation.

5.5.11. Members of the Federation shall not be entitled to a share of the Federation’s property and shall not be liable for its obligations. It is prohibited to distribute the income (profits) received by the Federation or part thereof and the property (assets) belonging to it or part thereof among the founders, members of the Federation, employees, members of management bodies, and other persons related to them.

5.5.12. The income (profits) of the Federation shall be used exclusively to finance its maintenance, the implementation of its goals and areas of activity as defined in its charter, including the payment of salaries, remuneration, compensation, and assistance to persons who ensure the activities of the Federation and the fulfillment of its statutory tasks.

5.6. Procedure for termination of membership in the Federation:

5.6.1. Each member of the Federation has the right to submit an application for withdrawal from the Federation at any time. Membership in the Federation shall be terminated on the date of submission of such an application and does not require additional decisions.

5.6.2. A member of the Federation may also be expelled from the Federation by decision of the Presidium.

5.6.3. The grounds for the Presidium’s decision to expel a member from the Federation may include:

  • 5.6.3.1. Loss of a person’s relationship to fencing, as defined in paragraph 5.5.1 of this statute;
  • 5.6.3.2. Reaching the age of 14 and becoming a member of the Federation by a child whose parent/guardian is a member of the Federation, if such parent/guardian has no other connection to fencing;
  • 5.6.3.3. Failure to comply with the requirements of the Federation’s charter;
  • 5.6.3.4. Non-payment (including partial payment) of membership fees;
  • 5.6.3.5. Other gross violations of established norms and rules, anti-doping rules.

5.6.4. The fact of non-compliance with the requirements of the Federation’s charter by a member of the Federation must be established by the Federation’s Disciplinary Commission.

5.6.5. The decision to expel a member from the Federation shall be taken by a simple majority of the votes of the Presidium members present.

5.7. Reinstatement of membership in the Federation:

5.7.1. Membership in the Federation may be reinstated if the expelled member of the Federation has acknowledged the misconduct for which he or she was expelled from the Federation and has remedied the consequences of his or her violation, or if the circumstances on the basis of which they were expelled from the Federation no longer exist, or in the event that a court decision recognizing the decision to expel them from the Federation as unlawful has entered into legal force.

5.7.2. Reinstatement of membership in the Federation does not imply the acquisition of associate member status and is carried out exclusively by decision of the Conference on the basis of a written application from the candidate, to which a document (copy of the document) confirming payment of the membership reinstatement fee is attached.

5.7.3. The decision to restore membership in the Federation shall be taken by a simple majority of votes of the delegates present at the Conference.

5.8. Procedure for suspension of membership in the Federation:

5.8.1. The Presidium of the Federation has the right to suspend membership in the Federation.

5.8.2. The grounds for suspension of membership in the Federation may be non-payment of membership fees, as well as failure to comply with the requirements of the charter and other regulatory documents of the Federation.

5.8.3. The decision to suspend membership in the Federation shall be made by a simple majority vote of the Presidium. In case of non-payment or incomplete payment of membership fees, a person’s membership in the Federation shall be suspended automatically without the need for a corresponding decision by the Presidium from the thirtieth day of the calendar period for which the membership fee has not been paid or has not been paid in full.

5.8.4. A person whose membership in the Federation has been suspended shall be deprived of the rights of full or associate members of the Federation for a period until a decision on the renewal of membership is made. In particular, a person whose membership has been suspended shall not have the right to elect and be elected as a delegate to the Conference or to the governing bodies of the Federation.

5.8.5. The decision to reinstate suspended membership shall be taken by a simple majority vote of the Presidium, subject to a written request from the person whose membership has been suspended and payment by that person of the membership fee for reinstatement, accompanied by supporting documentation.

5.8.6. Suspension of membership in the Federation shall remain in effect until the date of the next Conference. If, by the date of the next Conference, the suspended membership in the Federation has not been reinstated, the issue of expulsion of the said person from the Federation shall be automatically brought before the Conference.

5.9. Honorary membership in the Federation:

5.9.1. The Federation Conference may award the title of Honorary Member of the Federation to any person who is a member of the Federation, has outstanding achievements, and has made a significant contribution to the development of fencing in Ukraine.

5.9.2. An honorary member of the Federation may participate in the work of the Conference and the Presidium of the Federation with the right to an advisory vote.

5.9.3. Honorary membership in the Federation is indefinite, but may be terminated by decision of the Conference in special circumstances.

5.9.4. Decisions on the acquisition of honorary membership in the Federation and decisions on the exclusion of honorary members of the Federation are made by the Conference by voting and are considered adopted if at least 2/3 of the registered delegates of the Conference vote in favor.

5.9.5. Honorary members of the Federation are not required to pay membership fees.

5.9.6. Acquisition of Honorary Membership does not require the person elected as an Honorary Member to submit any applications or written requests.

5.9.7. The Federation Conference has the right to elect Honorary Members of the Federation, Honorary Members of the Federation Presidium, Honorary Coaches, Honorary Vice-Presidents, and Honorary Presidents.

5.9.8. Honorary membership and titles may be acquired by:

  • 5.9.8.1. Honorary President - a person who has ever held the position of President of the Federation;
  • 5.9.8.2. Honorary Vice-President - a person who has ever held the position of Vice-President of the Federation;
  • 5.9.8.3. Honorary Member of the Federation Presidium - a person who has ever held the position of a member of the Federation Presidium;
  • 5.9.8.4. Honorary Coach - a person who has worked as a coach and made a significant contribution to the development of fencing and sport in Ukraine;
  • 5.9.8.5. Honorary Member of the Federation - any associate or full member of the Federation or a person who is not a member of the Federation.

5.10. The types of contributions that exist in the Federation may be determined by this statute and/or decisions of the Federation Presidium and/or relevant regulations (if approved). The differentiation, amounts, terms, frequency of payment, and any other issues regarding contributions that exist in the Federation may be determined by decisions of the Federation Presidium and/or the relevant regulations (if approved).

Article 6. Rights and Obligations of Federation Members

6.1. Full members of the Federation have the right to:

  • Elect and be elected to the governing bodies of the Federation. The procedure for exercising this right is set out in the Federation’s charter;
  • Receive complete and accurate information about the activities of the Federation;
  • Make proposals for improving the activities of the Federation and its bodies;
  • Participate in sports, educational, methodological, and other events held by the Federation on the grounds and in the manner specified in the Federation’s regulatory documents;
  • Use the support of the Federation in their activities that correspond to the statutory goals of the Federation;
  • Enjoy legal and social protection of their legitimate interests by the Federation.

6.2. Members of the Federation are obliged to:

  • Actively promote the development of sports fencing in Ukraine through their activities, implement the statutory goals and objectives of the Federation in this area, and refrain from actions that would contradict the statutory goals of the Federation;
  • Comply with the requirements of the charter and other regulatory and legal documents of the Federation;
  • Comply with decisions made by the governing bodies of the Federation;
  • Cooperate with the Federation on all issues related to the organization and conduct of fencing events and competitions;
  • Pay membership fees in a timely manner and in full in accordance with the statutes;
  • Recognize the jurisdiction of the Sports Arbitration Court at the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and refer any disputes arising from or related to this Statute or the Federation’s regulatory documents for final resolution in accordance with the Rules of the Sports Arbitration Court at the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

6.3. Membership fees for associate and full members of the Federation shall be set on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis by decision of the Presidium by a simple majority vote of those present at the meeting and shall be payable by members of the Federation to the Federation’s account before the start of the relevant calendar period. Members whose membership has not been suspended are eligible to participate in competitions and/or tournaments organized by the Federation, except in cases specified in paragraphs 6.4 and 6.5 of this Statute or unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine.

6.4. Members of the Federation who have not paid their membership fees in full and on time shall be allowed to participate in tournaments and/or competitions organized by the Federation as participants, coaches, or referees if, prior to the start of the tournament and/or competition, they provide the organizers with proof of full payment of all outstanding membership fees for previous periods, as well as payment of the membership fee for the period in which the tournament and/or competition is held, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine.

6.5. Children and Cadets who are not eligible for membership in the Federation due to their age are admitted to competitions provided that at least one of their parents or guardians is a member of the Federation. Children and Cadets whose parents or guardians have not paid their membership fees in full and on time shall be admitted to participate in tournaments and/or competitions organized by the Federation if they (or their parents or guardians) provide the organizers, prior to the start of the tournament and/or competition, proof of full payment of all outstanding debts of their parents or guardians for membership fees for previous periods, as well as payment of the membership fee for the period in which the tournament and/or competition is held, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine.

6.6. Referees who officiate at competitions under the auspices of the Federation must be members of the Federation and pay all membership fees on the day of the competition at which they officiate, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine.

6.7. Coaches who train athletes participating in competitions under the auspices of the Federation must be members of the Federation and pay all membership fees on the day of the competition, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine.

Article 7. Governing Bodies of the Federation, Their Powers

7.1. Conference

7.1.1. The highest governing body of the Federation is the Conference.

7.1.2. The Conference shall be held at least once every four years, but no later than the second ten days of December of the year of the Summer Olympic Games, with the participation of delegates from the separate divisions of the Federation. The Conference shall be held in person, without the use of means of communication.

7.1.3. The decision to hold the Conference shall be made by the Presidium of the Federation no later than 60 (sixty) calendar days prior to the date of the Conference.

7.1.4. No later than 30 (thirty) calendar days before the Conference, information about the date and venue of the Conference, the procedure and deadlines for registering delegates to participate in the Conference, the agenda, and other information related to the Conference shall be posted on the official website of the Federation.

7.1.5. No later than 45 (forty-five) calendar days before the date of the Conference, the Executive Secretary shall send a corresponding notification to the heads of the Federation’s separate divisions by mail or electronic communication.

7.1.6. Conference delegates shall be elected in each separate division of the Federation by a rating vote of Federation members registered with the relevant separate division of the Federation.

7.1.7. Any full member of the Federation elected in a separate division of the Federation based on the results of a rating vote who has paid membership fees to the Federation may be a delegate to the Conference.

7.1.8. Each separate division may elect any number of Conference delegates. The total number of votes of all Conference delegates from one separate division may not exceed the number of all full members of the Federation registered with such separate division who have paid their membership fees.

7.1.9. If the total number of votes of the Conference delegates from a separate division exceeds the number of votes of all full members of the Federation registered with such a separate division, all Conference delegates from such a separate division shall lose their right to vote at the Conference.

7.1.10. The procedure for electing Conference delegates is established by the Conference Regulations.

7.1.11. A delegate representing a separate subdivision at the Conference shall vote with the number of votes granted to the delegate by the full members of the Federation registered with such separate subdivision.

7.1.12. The heads of separate divisions of the Federation and delegates to the Conference from separate divisions of the Federation have the right to submit their proposals on issues included or not included in the agenda of the Conference no later than 30 (thirty) calendar days before the date of the Conference.

7.1.13. An extraordinary Conference may be convened at the request of 2/3 of the votes of the Presidium members or 10% of the full members of the Federation within two months from the date of receipt of the relevant application.

7.1.14. An extraordinary Conference shall be convened no later than 90 days after the President resigns from office.

7.1.15. The procedure for convening an extraordinary Conference is similar to the procedure for convening a regular Conference.

7.1.16. The Conference shall be considered quorate if at least 75% of the votes of the Federation members represented by Conference delegates participate in its work.

7.1.17. The Conference shall have the authority to resolve any issues related to the activities of the Federation, including those falling within the competence of the Presidium.

7.1.18. The exclusive competence of the Conference includes:

  • determining the main directions of the Federation’s activities;
  • approving the charter and making changes and additions to the Federation’s charter;
  • approving the agenda of the Conference;
  • making decisions on the exclusion of members from the Federation;
  • making decisions on the election of Honorary Members of the Federation, Honorary Members of the Presidium of the Federation, Honorary Coaches, Honorary Vice-Presidents, and Honorary Presidents;
  • electing the President of the Federation for a term of 4 years;
  • electing members of the Federation Presidium for a term of 4 years;
  • electing the Audit Commission of the Federation for a term of 4 years;
  • electing the Executive Secretary for a term of 4 years;
  • hearing, adopting relevant decisions, and/or approving reports on the activities of the governing bodies and officials of the Federation;
  • consideration of applications from members of the Presidium or delegates to the Conference;
  • exercising ownership rights over the Federation’s property;
  • adoption of a decision to terminate the activities of the Federation;
  • decisions on amendments to the Federation’s charter, alienation of the Federation’s property in an amount equal to fifty or more percent of the Federation’s property, and liquidation of the Federation shall be adopted by a majority of not less than 3/4 of the votes;
  • disposal of the Federation’s property and funds in an amount exceeding 30 percent of the value of the Federation’s assets on the date of the transaction.

7.1.19. Decisions of the Conference shall be adopted by a simple majority of votes of full members of the Federation represented by the respective Delegates present, unless otherwise provided by this Statute.

7.1.20. The proceedings of the Conference shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

7.1.21. Decisions adopted by the Conference shall take effect on the date of their adoption, unless otherwise established by the Conference or applicable law.

7.1.22. The regulations governing the Conference of the Federation shall be developed and approved by the Presidium of the Federation.

7.2. Presidium

7.2.1. The governing body of the Federation is the Presidium.

7.2.2. The Presidium is the elected governing body of the Federation, which is created to perform the statutory tasks of the Federation for the period between Conferences and is headed by the President.

7.2.3. The members of the Presidium and the President shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the members of the Federation represented by the Delegates present at the Conference. The number of members of the Presidium may not exceed 23, including the President of the Federation, the Executive Secretary of the Federation, and the representative of the Athletes’ Commission of the Federation.

7.2.4. Any full member of the Federation who has paid membership fees at the time of his election to the Presidium may be elected a member of the Presidium.

7.2.5. The Presidium has the following powers:

7.2.5.1. Upon the recommendation of the President of the Federation, it approves the staffing table of the Executive Committee of the Federation;

7.2.5.2. Decides on the acquisition of full membership in the Federation;

7.2.5.3. Upon the recommendation of the President of the Federation, it approves the candidates for the heads and members of the standing commissions and committees of the Presidium of the Federation;

7.2.5.4. Decides on the holding of the Federation Conference;

7.2.5.5. Develops and approves regulations on the organization of the Federation’s work;

7.2.5.6. Upon the recommendation of the President, approves the Regulations on the Executive Committee of the Federation and the Regulations on the Vice-Presidents of the Federation;

7.2.5.7. Develops and approves any regulatory documents of the Federation;

7.2.5.8. Approves draft regulatory documents for submission to the relevant competent state authorities and public organizations;

7.2.5.9. Makes decisions on the creation and/or termination of separate divisions of the Federation;

7.2.5.10. Makes decisions on the creation of enterprises and companies and approves their charters;

7.2.5.11. Approves the budget and procedure for the distribution of the Federation’s funds, accepts proposals for the distribution of attracted funds by areas of activity, and sets the amount of membership fees;

7.2.5.12. Considers applications from members of the Federation regarding violations or restrictions of their rights;

7.2.5.13. Establishes bonuses, approves the attributes of the Federation;

7.2.5.14. Suspends membership in the Federation, reinstates suspended membership in the Federation;

7.2.5.15. Determines the types, differentiation, amounts, terms, and frequency of payment, and any other issues related to contributions that exist in the Federation.

7.2.6. Meetings of the Presidium shall be held at least four times a year, the first of which shall be held on the day of the conclusion of the Conference.

7.2.7. The President shall be obliged to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Presidium at the request of a simple majority of the total number of members of the Presidium or members of the Audit Commission.

7.2.8. A meeting of the Presidium shall be considered valid (quorum present) if more than half of the elected (appointed) members of the Presidium participate in the meeting.

7.2.9. Decisions of the Presidium shall be taken by a simple majority of the votes of the Presidium members present. Each member of the Presidium shall have one vote. In the event of a tie in the voting, the Presidium shall take the decision for which the President voted, whose vote shall be decisive in such a case.

7.2.10. Meetings of the Presidium may be held either with the direct participation of its members or via the Internet using audiovisual computer programs for online conferences.

7.2.11. In the event of death, disappearance, incapacitation, imprisonment, resignation/termination/suspension of the powers of a member of the Presidium, he or she shall not be replaced.

7.3. President, Executive Secretary, Vice Presidents

7.3.1. The President shall be the representative of the Federation before third parties.

7.3.2. The President shall be elected by the Conference for a term of 4 years.

7.3.3. The powers of the President shall be valid from the date of his election at the Conference until the beginning of the next Conference, at which the election of the President shall be decided.

7.3.4. The President shall be elected from among the full members of the Federation by direct open vote of the members of the Federation through the delegates of the Federation Conference.

7.3.5. The candidate for President who receives 50% of the votes of the members of the Federation plus one vote from those present at the Conference shall be considered elected.

7.3.6. If none of the candidates receives 50% of the votes of the Federation members plus one vote, a second round of elections is held.

7.3.7. A citizen of Ukraine who is a full member of the Federation may be a candidate for President of the Federation, provided that they have paid their membership fees to the Federation.

7.3.8. Candidates for President of the Federation may be nominated by members of the Presidium, heads of separate divisions, delegates to the Conference, or any group of full members of the Federation representing at least 10% of the total number of full members of the Federation.

7.3.9. Candidates for President of the Federation shall be registered on the basis of written applications.

7.3.10. A written statement on the nomination of a candidate for the Presidency of the Federation must be submitted to the Executive Secretary of the Federation no later than 30 calendar days before the announced date of the Conference.

7.3.11. Information on the candidates nominated for the position of President of the Federation shall be published on the Federation’s website.

7.3.12. The same person may be elected President an unlimited number of times, including consecutively.

7.3.13. The President’s responsibilities include:

  • Managing the work of the Presidium and the Executive Committee of the Federation;
  • The right to act on behalf of the Federation without a power of attorney or other special powers;
  • Granting powers to third parties, including by issuing powers of attorney;
  • Issue, within its competence, orders, instructions, powers of attorney, and other documents binding on subordinate bodies and persons;
  • The right to hire and dismiss full-time employees of the Federation, heads of separate divisions of the Federation;
  • The right to appoint and dismiss Vice Presidents of the Federation;
  • Performing other actions necessary for the fulfillment of the Federation’s statutory tasks.

7.3.14. The President of the Federation may be dismissed from office early at his own request.

7.3.15. The President of the Federation may be dismissed by decision of the Federation Conference. The decision to dismiss the President of the Federation from office shall be deemed adopted if at least 75% of the full members of the Federation vote in favor through the delegates of the Federation Conference.

7.3.16. The President may also submit a request for resignation and termination of powers, in which case the powers of the President shall be automatically terminated from the date specified in the request.

7.3.17. In the event of the termination or inability of the President to perform his duties, his functions shall be performed by the Executive Secretary.

7.3.18. The Executive Secretary shall be elected by the Conference.

7.3.19. The Executive Secretary shall organize the implementation of decisions adopted by the Conference, the Presidium, and other matters, the maintenance and preservation of the current documentation of the Federation, forms the Federation’s archive, ensures information communication between the Federation and international organizations, and with members of the Federation, keeps records of Federation members.

7.3.20. The Executive Secretary is a member of the Presidium and has one vote in the Presidium.

7.3.21. The Executive Secretary shall perform the duties and have the powers of the President as defined by this Statute in the event of his early dismissal.

7.3.22-7.3.31. [Additional provisions regarding Executive Secretary and Vice Presidents]

7.4. Committees and Commissions

7.4.1. To carry out its statutory activities, the Federation shall establish standing committees and commissions.

7.4.2. The Appeals Committee consists of at least 5 persons and is elected by the Presidium of the Federation for a term of 4 years from among the full members of the Federation.

7.4.8. The Judges’ Commission - approved by the Presidium of the Federation upon the recommendation of the President.

7.4.12. The Competition Organizing Committee - elected and approved by the Presidium of the Federation.

7.4.13. The Athletes’ Commission - created to promote the rights and protection of fencing athletes.

7.4.17. Additional commissions include: Children’s Fencing Commission, Veterans’ Fencing Commission, Athletes’ Commission, Budget Commission, Disciplinary Commission, Commission for the Promotion of Fencing and Media Relations, and others.

7.5. Procedure for Appealing Decisions

7.5.1. Decisions, actions, and/or inaction of the Federation’s governing bodies may be appealed to courts or to the Sports Arbitration Court at the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

7.6. Reporting Procedure

7.6.1. The Presidium, Executive Committee, and Audit Commission shall report annually to the members of the Federation on their activities.

Article 8. Executive Committee

8.1. The administrative body and one of the governing bodies of the Federation is the Executive Committee (ExCom).

8.2. The staffing table of the Executive Committee shall be approved by the Presidium and shall consist of the President, Vice-Presidents, Executive Secretary, and other members appointed by the President of the Federation.

8.3. The Executive Committee of the Federation has the right to make decisions on all issues that are not within the exclusive competence of the Conference or the Presidium.

8.4. The powers of the Executive Committee include ensuring the implementation of decisions adopted by the Presidium and Conference, preparing for meetings, managing the Federation’s property and funds, and resolving other issues related to the activities of the Federation.

8.5. Decisions adopted by the Executive Committee shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

8.6. A meeting shall be considered valid if at least 75% of the members of the Executive Committee participate in it.

8.7. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be adopted by a simple majority of votes of the members present.

8.8. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote. In the event of a tie, the decision shall be made in favor of the option voted for by the President.

Article 9. Audit Commission

9.1. Control over the financial and economic activities of the Federation shall be exercised by the Audit Commission of the Federation.

9.2. The Audit Commission shall be elected by the Federation Conference and shall consist of three (3) persons from among the full members of the Federation.

9.3. Members of the Presidium and the Executive Committee cannot be members of the Audit Commission.

9.4. The Audit Commission is accountable to the Conference and submits the results of its audits for approval, draws conclusions on annual reports and balance sheets.

9.5. Audits are conducted by the Audit Commission on behalf of the Conference, the President, the Presidium, on its own initiative, or at the request of at least 2/3 of the members of the Federation.

9.6. The Audit Commission has the right to request from officials of the Federation and its members all necessary materials, accounting and other documents, as well as personal explanations.

9.7. Based on the results of the work of the Audit Commission, the Presidium of the Federation may convene an extraordinary meeting of the Conference if there is a threat to the fundamental interests of the Federation or its members, or if abuses by officials of the Federation have been detected.

Article 10. Sources of Income and Procedure for the Use of Funds and Other Property of the Federation

10.1. In order to achieve its statutory goals, the Federation has the right to own, use, and dispose of funds and other property that has been transferred by members or the state, acquired as membership fees, donated by citizens, acquired as a result of entrepreneurial activities, as well as property acquired at its own expense or on other grounds not prohibited by law.

10.2. The Federation may own buildings, structures, housing stock, other real estate, equipment, inventory, cash, shares, other securities, and any property necessary for the material support of the Federation’s statutory activities.

10.3. The Federation independently and autonomously exercises the rights of ownership, use, and disposal of its property through the Conference or other bodies of the Federation within the limits of their powers.

10.4. The Conference approves a specific list of property belonging to the Federation and delegates to the President of the Federation the right to dispose of it.

10.5. The Federation has the right to establish legal entities in accordance with the procedure established by law.

10.6. The Federation shall have the right to property and funds acquired as a result of economic and other commercial activities of institutions and organizations established by it.

10.7. The Federation may be a member of international non-governmental organizations, maintain direct international contracts and relations.

10.8. The Federation and the legal entities it has established are required to maintain operational and accounting records, statistical reports, register with the state tax administration, and make payments to the budget in the manner and amounts provided for by current legislation.

Article 11. Separate Divisions of the Federation

11.1. The Federation may have separate divisions, which are formed and approved by a decision of the Presidium and do not have the status of a legal entity.

11.2. Separate divisions unite members of the Federation who reside in the territory of the relevant administrative-territorial units.

11.3. Separate divisions of the Federation operate in accordance with the Federation’s charter and relevant provisions.

11.4. By decision of the Federation’s Presidium, separate functions related to the economic management of property (funds) may be assigned to separate divisions.

11.5. The head of a separate subdivision of the Federation has the right to represent and defend their legitimate interests and the legitimate interests of their members.

11.6. The highest governing body of the separate division is the General Meeting of full members of the Federation who are registered with the separate division.

11.7. A separate division ceases its activities through liquidation.

11.8. The funds and other property of the separate division in the event of its liquidation cannot be redistributed among its members, but are transferred (returned) to the Federation.

Article 12. Procedure for Amending and Supplementing the Charter

12.1. Amendments to the Federation’s charter shall be made by decision of the Conference, if such a decision is voted for by 75% of the full members of the Federation present at the meeting, voting through authorized Conference Delegates.

12.2. Amendments to the Federation’s charter are made by publishing a new version of it.

12.3. Changes made to the Federation’s statutory documents shall be signed by the Chair of the Conference and/or another person authorized by the Conference and registered in accordance with the procedure established by law.

Article 13. Procedure for Adopting a Decision on the Termination of the Federation

13.1. Termination of the Federation’s activities shall be carried out:

  • By a decision of the Conference, adopted by at least 75% of the votes of the full members of the Federation present at the meeting, by self-dissolution or reorganization by joining another public association of the same status;
  • By a court decision to ban (compulsory dissolution) the Federation.

13.2. The termination of the Federation’s activities shall result in its dissolution in accordance with the procedure established by Ukrainian law.

13.3. The Federation has the right at any time to decide to terminate its activities (self-dissolution).

13.4. The Conference shall establish a liquidation commission or instruct the Presidium to exercise the powers of the liquidation commission.

13.5. In the event of termination of the Federation, all its assets, property, and funds, after satisfying the claims of creditors, shall be transferred for statutory and/or charitable purposes to one or more non-profit organizations of the appropriate type.

13.6. The Federation shall be reorganized by joining another public association of the same status.

13.7. The authorized registration authority shall be notified of decisions taken on the reorganization of the Federation.

Article 14. Cooperation with Other Organizations

14.1. The Federation interacts with state bodies, public organizations, their unions, legal entities, foreign and international non-governmental organizations on the basis of current legislation and relevant agreements.

14.2. The Federation recognizes the statutes and regulations and is a member of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and the European Fencing Confederation (EFC).

Chairman of the Conference Mykhailo ILYASHEV

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