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N.F.-BOARD CONSTITUTION
N.F.-BOARD CONSTITUTION
In accordance with the Belgian Law of 27 June 1921, a non-profit making association
has been incorporated with the following Constitution:
I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1 – Name & headquarters
1) The name of the Association is N.F.-Board (New Football Federations-Board) (NFB).
2) NFB headquarters are located in Liège (Belgium), 19, Place Delcour, and may be moved to any another location within the judicial district of Liège by simple resolution by the Executive Committee, to be published in the Appendices of the "Moniteur Belge".
Article 2 – Objectives
The NFB wants to use Football as a springboard to the knowledge of Peoples, Nations, Minorities and Isolated Territories populations´ culture.
The objectives of NFB are:
1) to federate Football Associations issued of Peoples, Nations, Minorities and Isolated Territories populations, which are not affiliated to FIFA, in order to organize international football games, regardless of political or religious factors.
2) to prepare its Football Associations members for international competitions and for arranging administrative structures and matches, particularly in order to fill up with the conditions of the FIFA Admission rules.
3) to organize friendly matches, tournaments and international competitions,
including the « NF-Board VIVA World Cup » 4) to
organize more generally anything which will promote its own development and that of its Football Associations members.
The NFB shall be apolitical and non denominational.
The NFB wants to be complementary with FIFA and respectful of existing state control institutions.
The NFB can realize its objectives by any means possible and in particular may carry out any secondary activity necessary or useful for the achievement of its objectives. In particular, it may acquire free of charge or at cost all goods and real estate, manage, administrate and dispose of these assets, enter into contracts, and go into partnership with other legal persons.
The NFB shall be authorized to collect all donations and bequests, and may carry out any type of activity enabling to gather funds which shall be used to achieve its objectives.
Article 3 – Duration
The NFB is incorporated for an unlimited period.
Article 4 - Non-discrimination and stance against racism
Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or groups of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion
Article 5 – Promoting friendly relations
NFB promote friendly relations between its members. Any member has to observe the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations and the principles of fair play.
Article 6 – Players
The Internal Regulations shall regulate the status of players.
Article 7 – Laws of the Game
Each member of NFB shall play Association Football in compliance with the Laws of the Game issued by IFAB.
Article 8 - Conduct of bodies and officials
The bodies and officials must observe the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations and decisions of NFB in their activities.
Article 9 – Official languages
French is the official language for minutes, correspondence and announcements. English and Spanish are the other official languages of NFB.
Members are responsible for translations into the languages of their country.
The Constitution, the Internal Regulations, the decisions and announcements of NFB shall be published, as far as possible, in the three official languages. If there is any divergence in the wording, the French text is authoritative.
II. MEMBERSHIP
Article 10 – Members qualification
The association consist of Effective members (Affiliated, Individuals and Founders), Honorary members and Sympathiser members.
1) Effective members :
The Effective members are the Affiliated members, the Individual members and the Founder members.
a) The Affiliated members are the FA members, as defined in the Article 2 above. They pay an annual membership subscription whose amount is fixed by a resolution of the Executive Committee.
The NFB acknowledges only one representative FA at the international level per People, Nation, Minority and Isolated Territory population.
The status of Affiliated member involves a will of participation in the events organized by the NFB.
b) The Individual members are the members accepted by an individual way whose candidature is accepted by the Executive Committee. They pay an annual membership subscription whose amount is decided by a resolution of the Executive Committee.
The status of Individual member shall imply a real will to have a constructive activity and to invest in the achievement of the association object of business.
c) The qualification of Founder member is granted to the cosignatories of the NFB founders statutes
A Founder member is a member of the Executive Committee for life. He pays an annual membership subscription whose amount is decided by a decision of the Executive Committee. In order to guarantee that the philosophy of the NFB founders is protected the longer possible, a Founder member shall own a power
of veto upon any decision of the Executive Committee, submitting in this way the adoption of the resolution to a vote of the General Meeting. A Founder member who doesn’t pay his membership subscription in the delay decided by the Executive Committee is suspended of his power of voting and of his power of veto.
2) Honorary members :
The Honorary Presidents and the Honorary Members are appointed by the General Meeting. This distinction is awarded to the persons who have been considered worthy of it, either by their function, and either by the good turns that they have done or they do to the association.
The Honorary members are dispensed from the membership subscription payment but they can take part to the General Meetings with a consultative advice.
3) Sympathiser members :
The qualification of Sympathiser member can be awarded to the persons and companies who will have merited it by their donations and legacy.
Article 11 – Members´ roll
The members´ roll is kept in a register at the NFB´s registered office.
All the members can consult the register as well as all the reports and resolutions of the General Meeting, of the Executive Committee or of the persons whose a mandate was given by the NFB, and all the accounting files. The detailed roll will be filled up each year after the General Meeting.
AFFILIATED MEMBERS
Article 12 - Admission, suspension and expulsion
The General Meeting decides whether to admit, suspend or expel a member.
Article 13 - Admission
1) Any Football Association which represents a People, a Nation, a Minority or an Isolated Territory population may become an Affiliated member of NFB.
2) A Football Association is able to be accepted with the qualification
of provisory member. The status of provisory member doesn´t give the right of participation in the debates. The provisory members are not allowed to participate to the NFB final events.
3) Any Football Association wishing to become an Affiliated member of NFB
shall apply for by writing to the NFB general secretariat.
4) The Football Association’s legally valid statutes shall be enclosed
with the application for membership. They shall be written in one of the NFB official languages: French, English and Spanish.
5) The Internal Regulations regulates the details of the procedure for admission. It decides the preliminary conditions of admission for the Football Association candidates to the status of Affiliated member, according to precise criterions and in order to respect the original NFB philosophy, especially concerning the non interference of political or religious spheres within those Football Association which must guarantee
their democratic functioning.
6) This article shall not affect the status of existing members.
Article 14 - Request and procedure for application
1) The Executive Committee shall request the General Meeting either to
admit or not to admit a Football Association. The Football Association may state the reasons for its application to the General Meeting.
2)
The new Affiliated member shall acquire membership rights and duties
as soon as it has been admitted. Its delegates are eligible to vote
and be elected with immediate effect.
Article
15 – Affiliated members’ rights
1)
The Affiliated members have the following rights:
2)
The exercise of these rights is subject to other provisions in this Constitution and the applicable regulations.
Article 16 - Affiliated members’ obligations
1
The Affiliated members have the following obligations:
a) to comply fully with
the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations, directives and
decisions of NFB bodies at any time
c) to ensure that their
own members comply with the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations,
directives and decisions of NFB bodies;
2)
Violation of the above-mentioned obligations by any Affiliated
member may lead to sanctions provided for in this Constitution.
Article
17 - Suspension
1)
The General Meeting is responsible for suspending an Affiliated member.
The Executive Committee may, however, suspend an Affiliated member that
seriously and repeatedly violates its obligations as a member with immediate
effect. The suspension shall last until the next General Meeting, unless
the Executive Committee has lifted it in the meantime.
2)
A suspension shall be confirmed at the next General Meeting by a three-quarter
majority of the votes taken. If it is not confirmed, the suspension
is automatically lifted.
3)
A suspended Affiliated member shall be suspended of voting at the General
Meeting. The Disciplinary Committee may impose further sanctions.
4)
Affiliated members which do not participate in at least one international
game over a period of two consecutive years shall be suspended from
voting at the General Meeting until they have fulfilled their obligations
in this respect.
Article
18 - Expulsion
1)
The General Meeting may expel an Affiliated member:
a) if it fails to fulfil its
financial obligations towards NFB; or
b) if it seriously violates
the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations and decisions of
NFB; or
c) if it loses the status of
a Football Association representing football for its People, Nation,
Minority or Isolated Territory population.
2)
The Affiliated member must be officially informed and invited at the
General Meeting which will have to decide about its destiny.
3)
The presence of an absolute majority of Effective members entitled to
vote at the General Meeting is necessary for an expulsion to be valid,
and the motion for expulsion must be adopted by a three-quarter majority
of the votes taken.
4)
The decision shall be notified to the party concerned by the Executive
Committee within eight days.
Article
19 - Resignation
1)
An Affiliated member may resign from NFB with effect from the end of
a calendar year. Notice of resignation must reach the general secretariat
no later than six months before the end of the calendar year and be
sent by registered letter.
2)
The resignation is not valid until the Affiliated member wishing to
resign has fulfilled its financial obligations towards NFB and its other
members.
Article
20 - Bodies
1)
An Affiliated member’s bodies shall be either elected or appointed
in that Football Association. A member’s statutes shall provide for
a procedure that guarantees the complete independence of the election
or appointment.
2)
Any Affiliated member’s bodies that have not been elected or appointed
in compliance with the provisions of par. 1, even on an interim basis,
shall not be recognised by NFB
3)
Decisions passed by bodies that have not been elected or appointed in
compliance with par. 1 shall not be recognised by NFB.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
Article
21 – Individual members
1)
Any person wishing to become a member of NFB shall apply for by writing
to the Executive Committee specifying his motivation. The Executive
Committee decides within one month since the reception of the candidature.
The Executive Committee owns a complete liberty of appreciation and
has not, in any circumstances, to justify its resolution.
2) The Individual members
shall not have the right to remuneration, except when one of them is
appointed by the Executive Committee to carry out one or more specific
tasks, in which case the remuneration awarded shall not exceed the amount
usually accepted for this type of service.
3)
The NFB’s profits shall not be distributed among the members, but
shall remain the property of the NFB and shall be used exclusively for
its objectives.
4)
This article shall be without prejudice to the rights of a member who
has become a creditor of the NFB following a sale, loan or other transaction.
A member who is a creditor of the NFB shall have the same rights against
it as all other creditors.
Article
22 - Resignation
1)
An Individual member may resign from NFB at any moment. Notice of resignation
must reach the President and be sent by registered letter.
2)
An Individual member who doesn’t pay his membership subscription in
the delay decided by the Executive Committee is suspended of his power
of voting, then declared resigning after an unavailing back pay.
3)
The resigning member can not ask for the refund of the paid membership
subscriptions.
Article
23 - Expulsion
1)
The General Meeting may expel any Individual member:
b) if he seriously violates
the Constitution, Internal Regulations, regulations and decisions of
NFB; or
2)
The Individual member shall be officially informed and invited to the
General Meeting which will have to decide about its destiny.
3)
The presence of an absolute majority of members entitled to vote at
the General Meeting is necessary for an expulsion to be valid, and the
motion for expulsion must be adopted by a three-quarter majority of
the votes taken.
4)
The decision shall be notified to the Individual member concerned by
the Executive Committee within eight days.
5)
The expelled Individual member can not ask for the refund of the paid
membership subscriptions.
III. CONFEDERATIONS
Article
24 - Confederations
1)
Affiliated members that belong to the same continent can be grouped
into a confederation accepted by NFB.
2)
NFB may, in exceptional circumstances, authorise a confederation to
grant membership to a Football Association that belongs geographically
to another continent and is not affiliated to the confederation on that
continent. The opinion of the confederation concerned geographically
shall be obtained.
3)
Each confederation shall have the following rights and obligations:
a) to comply with
and enforce compliance with the Constitution, Internal Regulations,
regulations and decisions of NFB;
b) to work closely
with NFB in every domain so as to achieve the objectives stipulated
in art. 2 and to organise competitions;
c) to organise its
own competitions, in compliance with the NFB calendar;
d) to appoint to
the Executive Committee members to which they are entitled in compliance
with this Constitution;
e) to nurture relations
and cooperation with NFB actively and constructively for the Good of
the Game through consultative meetings and to discuss and resolve any
problems relating to its interests and to the interests of NFB;
f) to ensure that
the representatives appointed to NFB bodies or the Executive Committee
carry out their activities on these bodies with mutual respect, solidarity,
recognition and fair play;
g) to allow exceptionally,
with NFB’s consent, a Football Association from another confederation
to participate in a competition that it is organising ;
h) with the mutual
cooperation of NFB, to take any action considered necessary to develop
the game of football between the Peoples, the Nations, the Minorities
and the Isolated Territories populations;
i) to set up the
bodies necessary to fulfil the duties incumbent upon it that will work
closely together with the corresponding committees at NFB;
4)
The Executive Committee may delegate other duties or powers to the confederations.
To this end, NFB may conclude an appropriate agreement with each of
the confederations concerned.
5)
The confederations’ statutes and regulations shall be submitted to
NFB for approval.
IV. ORGANISATION
Article
25 - Bodies
1)
The General Meeting is the supreme and legislative body.
2)
The Board of Directors, called Executive Committee, is the executive
body.
3)
The general secretariat is the administrative body.
4)
Standing and ad-hoc committees shall advise and assist the Executive
Committee in fulfilling its duties. Their primary duties are defined
in this Constitution and their composition, function and additional
duties are defined in special regulations.
A. GENERAL MEETING
Article
26 – General meeting
1)
A General Meeting may be an Ordinary or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
2)
The Ordinary General Meeting shall be held every year. The Executive
Committee shall fix the place and date. The members shall be notified
in writing at least three months in advance. The formal convocation
shall be made in writing at least one month before the date of the General
Meeting. This convocation shall contain the agenda, the President’s
report and the financial statements.
3)
The Executive Committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting
at any time.
4)
The Executive Committee shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting
if one-fifth of the members make such a request in writing. The request
shall specify the items for the agenda. An Extraordinary General Meeting
shall be held within three months of receipt of the request.
5)
The members shall be notified of the place, date and agenda at least
two months before the date of an Extraordinary General Meeting. The
agenda of an Extraordinary General Meeting may not be altered.
Article
27 – Obligatory resolutions
A resolution
by the General Meeting shall be necessary for the following items:
1)
Amendments to the Constitution;
2)
Appointment or dismissal of members of the Executive Committee;
3)
Approval of budgets and accounts;
4)
Dissolution of the NFB;
5)
Exclusion of a member.
Article
28 - Vote, delegates
1)
Each Effective member has one vote in the General Meeting. Only the
Effective members present or represented are entitled to vote. An Affiliated
member is represented by its delegate.
2)
Each Effective member can be represented by another Effective member,
bearer of a written proxy which is delivered to the President of the
Executive Committee. Only one proxy is authorized per member.
3)
Delegates must belong to the Affiliated member that they represent and
be appointed by the appropriate body of that Football Association.
4)
Confederation delegates may take part in the General Meeting as observers.
5)
During their term of office, members of the Executive Committee may
not be appointed as delegates for their Football Association.
6)
The President shall conduct the General Meeting business in compliance
with the Internal Regulations.
Article
29 - Candidates for the Presidency of NFB
1)
The Affiliated members may propose candidates for the presidency of
NFB. Members shall notify the NFB general secretariat in writing of
the name of the candidate for the NFB presidency and his list (cf. art.
37) at least two months before the date of the General Meeting.
2)
The general secretariat shall notify all the members of the names and
lists of proposed candidates at least one month before the date of the
General Meeting.
Article
30 - Ordinary General Meeting Agenda
1)
The General Secretary shall draw up the agenda based on proposals from
the Executive Committee and the members. Any proposal that a member
wishes to submit to the General Meeting shall be sent to the general
secretariat in writing, with a brief explanation, at least two months
before the date of the General Meeting.
2)
The General Meeting agenda shall include the following mandatory items:
a) a declaration that the
General Meeting has been convened and composed in compliance with the
Constitution;
j) votes on proposals for
amendments to the Constitution and the Internal Regulations (if applicable);
k) discussion of proposals
submitted by the members and the Executive Committee within the period
stipulated under par. 1 (if applicable) ;
l) election of the President
and installation of the Vice-president and members of the Executive
Committee (if applicable).;
3)
The agenda of an Ordinary General Meeting may be altered, provided three-quarters
of the members present at the Ordinary General Meeting and eligible
to vote agree to such a motion.
Article
31 - Amendments to the Constitution
and the Internal Regulations
1)
The General Meeting, at which a quorum is present, shall represent the
universality of the members. It shall have the widest powers to have
all the instruments concerning the NFB ratified. Resolutions shall be
binding on all members, including those absent or dissenting.
2)
The General Meeting is responsible for amending the Constitution and
the Internal Regulations.
3)
Any proposals for an amendment to the Constitution must be submitted
in writing with a brief explanation to the general secretariat by a
member or by the Executive Committee. A proposal submitted by a member
is valid, provided it has been supported in writing by at least two
other members.
4)
Proposals for amending the Constitution or for an early dissolution
shall be formally stated in the agenda.
5)
For a vote on an amendment to the Constitution to be valid, an absolute
majority (half of the members plus one member) of the members eligible
to vote must be present.
6)
A proposal for an amendment to the Constitution shall be adopted only
if three-quarters of the members present and eligible to vote agree
to it.
7)
Any proposal to amend the Internal Regulations must be submitted in
writing with a brief explanation to the general secretariat by a member
or by the Executive Committee.
8)
A proposal for an amendment to the Internal Regulations shall be adopted
only if a simple majority of the members present and eligible to vote
agree to it.
Article
32 – Early dissolution
1)
For a vote on an early dissolution of the NFB, the two-thirds of the
members eligible to vote must be present.
2)
A proposal for an early dissolution of the NFB shall be adopted only
if three-quarters of the members present and eligible to vote agree
to it.
Article
33 - Elections, other decisions, requisite majority
1)
Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.
2)
Any other decision that requires a vote shall be reached by a show of
hands or by secret ballot. If a show of hands does not result in a clear
majority in favour of a motion, the vote by secret ballot shall be taken
by calling the roll, members being called in French alphabetical order.
3)
For the election of the President, two-thirds of the votes recorded
and valid are necessary in the first ballot. In the second and any other
requisite ballot, an absolute majority of the votes recorded is sufficient.
If there are more than two candidates, whoever obtains the lowest number
of votes is eliminated as from the second ballot until only two candidates
are left.
4)
Unless otherwise stipulated in the Constitution, a simple majority is
sufficient for a vote to be valid. The number of valid votes counted
shall decide the simple majority. Abstentions are disregarded in calculating
the majority.
Article
34 - Minutes
1)
The General Secretary shall be responsible for recording the minutes
at the General Meeting.
2)
The decisions of the General Meeting shall be recorded in minutes contained
in a special register and signed by the President and the General Secretary.
The decisions concerning third parties and, in any case, any amendments
to the Constitution, as well as any appointment, resignation or dismissal
of a Director (member of the Executive Committee)), shall be published
in the Appendices of the “Moniteur Belge” within the month
of their dates of occurrence.
Copies or extracts
shall be signed by the President or two Directors.
Article
35 - Effective dates of decisions
Decisions passed by the General
Meeting shall come into effect for the members the day after the close
of the General Meeting, unless the General Meeting fixes another date
for a decision to take effect.
B. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Article
36 - Composition,
The Executive Committee consists
of fifteen (15) members:
- six (6) Individual members,
elected by the General Meeting;
Article
37 - Election of President and Executive Committee
1)
Any candidate to the function of President shall submit to the vote
of the General Meeting a listing of nine Effective members (three Founders
+ six Individual members) in which he must be nominated.
2)
The President shall be elected by the General Meeting for a period of
two years. His mandate shall begin after the end of the General Meeting
which has elected him. A President may be re-elected.
3)
The mandates of the members of the Executive Committee shall last for
two years, starting upon their installation by the General Meeting.
They may be re-elected.
4)
Not more than one member from the same Football Association may serve
on the Executive Committee simultaneously.
Article
38 – Continental representatives
1)
All confederations shall appoint one member to the Executive Committee.
They shall pass a single decision as to when they wish to appoint or
elect this member. The subsequent General Meetings of the confederations
shall take this decision within one year of this Constitution coming
into force.
2)
In the case that no continental confederation exists, the Affiliated
members belonging to a same continent shall choose or elect their representative
to the Executive Committee before the NFB General Meeting. This nomination
or election shall happen within one year after the enforcement of this
Constitution.
Article
39 – Members substitution
1)
If the President is permanently or temporarily prevented from performing
his official function, the Vice-president shall represent him until
the next General Meeting. This General Meeting shall elect a new President,
if necessary.
2)
If a Founder member is permanently prevented from performing his official
function, the President shall appoint a new Individual member in substitution
for the remaining period of office.
3)
If an Individual member of the Executive Committee is permanently or
temporarily prevented from performing his official function, the President
shall immediately appoint a new Individual member for the remaining
period of office.
4)
If a member of the Executive Committee appointed by the confederations
or the Football Associations is permanently or temporarily prevented
from performing his official function, he shall be immediately replaced
by the confederation or Football Associations which appointed him for
the remaining period of office.
Article
40 - Composition
The President
nominates the following functions between the members of the Executive
Committee:
1)
A Deputy Vice-president.
3)
A General Secretary.
4)
A Treasurer.
Article
41 - Competences
1)
The Executive Committee shall pass decisions on all cases that do not
come within the sphere of responsibility of the General Meeting or are
not reserved for other bodies by law or under this Constitution.
2)
The Executive Committee shall appoint the managers and members of the
standing committees.
3)
The Executive Committee may decide to set up ad-hoc committees if necessary
at any time.
4)
The Executive Committee shall appoint the delegates from NFB to the
different authorities.
5) The Executive Committee
shall appoint the match Delegates.
6)
The Executive Committee shall compile the regulations for the organisation
of standing committees and ad-hoc committees.
7)
The Executive Committee shall decide the place and dates of the competitions
of NFB tournaments and the number of teams taking part from each confederation.
Article
42 - Meetings
1)
The Executive Committee meets two times a year at least, and any time
that the association’s interest requires it.
2)
The President shall convene the Executive Committee meetings. If the
fifth of its members request a meeting, the President shall convene
the Executive Committee
3) The President shall
compile the agenda. The agenda shall be mentioned in the convocations.
Each member of the Executive Committee is entitled to propose items
for inclusion in the agenda.
4)
The agenda of an Executive Committee may be altered, provided half of
the members present agree to such a motion.
5)
A Member of the Executive Committee may be represented by another member
of the Executive Committee, bearer of a written proxy. Only one proxy
per member is authorized.
6)
A proposal shall be adopted only if an absolute majority (half of the
members plus one member) of the members of the Executive Committee agree
to it. In the case of equality, a second ballot is organized. In the
case of new equality, the President’s vote is casting. The vote shall
be conducted by secret ballot if any member of the Executive Committee
asks for.
Article
43 – Members responsibility
The members
of the Executive Committee do not take any personal duty in relation
to the commitments of the NFB. They are only responsible for the executive
of their non benefit warrant, as well as the errors made in their management.
Article
44 – Lawsuits
Legal actions,
whether as claimant or defendant, shall be brought and continued, on
behalf of the NFB, by the Executive Committee, at the behest of the
President or the Director (member of the Executive Committee) holding
power of attorney.
Article
45 – Actions binding on the NFB
Unless the
Executive Committee approves a special delegation, the actions binding
on the NFB shall be signed by the President or, if not, by a Director
(member of the Executive Committee) delegated for this purpose and by
the General Secretary or, if not, by a Director delegated by the Executive
Committee for this purpose, without there being any need to give proof
to third parties of a resolution by the Executive Committee.
Article
46 – Day-to-day management
Day-to-day management of the
NFB, as well as the use of the company signature assigned to said management
(up to 1.500 euros), shall be conferred on the President of the Executive
Committee or, if not, on a Director (member of the Executive Committee)
delegated for this purpose. This day-to-day management shall include
in particular the power to give discharge or receipt to any public administration,
railway, post office, telephone company and private company. However,
beyond 1.500 euros, the signatures of the General Secretary or, if not,
of a Director delegated for this purpose, and the President shall be
required, with the exception of protective measures.
Article
47 – Official register
The decisions
made by the Executive Committee shall be recorded in an official register.
All minutes shall be signed by all the members of the Executive Committee
attending the meeting. Extracts to be submitted to courts or elsewhere
shall be signed by the President or two Directors (members of the Executive
Committee).
C. PRESIDENT
Article
48 - President
1)
The President represents NFB legally.
2)
He is primarily responsible for:
a) implementing the decisions
passed by the General Meeting and the Executive Committee through the
general secretariat;
c) relations between NFB
and the confederations, members, political bodies and international
organisations;
3)
The President shall preside over the General Meeting, the Executive
and Emergency Committee meetings and those committees of which he has
been appointed chairman.
4)
The President shall have an ordinary vote on the Executive Committee
and, whenever votes are equal, shall have a casting vote.
5)
If the President is absent or unavailable, the Vice-president shall
deputise.
6)
Any additional powers of the President shall be contained in the Internal
Regulations.
D. GENERAL SECRETARY
Article
49 – General Secretary
1)
The General Secretary carry out all the administrative work of NFB.
2)
He shall be responsible for:
a) Implementing decisions
passed by the General Meeting and Executive Committee in compliance
with the President’s directives;
b) Compiling the minutes
for the meetings of the Congress, Executive Committee, Emergency Committee
and standing and ad-hoc committees;
d) Relations with the confederations,
members and committees;
E. TREASURER
Article
50 – Treasurer
The Treasurer shall monitor
the annual budget and financial statements, and submit them to the Executive
Committee.
F.
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
Article
51 – Emergency Committee
1)
The Emergency Committee shall deal with all matters requiring immediate
settlement between two meetings of the Executive Committee. The committee
shall consist of the NFB President, the Vice-President, the General
Secretary and two members of the Executive Committee chosen from among
its members for a period of two years.
2)
The President shall convene the Emergency Committee meetings. If a meeting
cannot be convened within an appropriate period of time, decisions may
be passed through other means of communication. Such decisions shall
have immediate legal effect. The President shall notify the Executive
Committee immediately of the decisions passed by the Emergency Committee.
3)
All decisions taken by the Emergency Committee shall be ratified by
the Executive Committee at its next meeting.
4)
If the President is unable to attend a meeting, the vice-president shall
deputise.
5)
The President is entitled to designate a deputy for any member who is
unable to attend or has a conflict of interests. The deputy shall belong
to the Executive Committee.
G.
STANDING COMMITTEES
Article
52 – Standing Committees
1)
The standing committees are:
2)
The managers of the standing committees shall be members of the Executive
Committee.
3)
The members of each standing committee shall be designated by the Executive
Committee on the proposal of the members of NFB, the President of NFB
or the confederations.
The managers and the members
of the standing committees shall be designated for a term of office
of two years.
4)
The composition, specific duties and powers of the individual committees
shall be stipulated in the Internal Regulations.
5)
Each manager shall represent his committee and conduct business in compliance
with the relevant organisation regulations.
6)
Each committee may propose amendments to its regulations to the Executive
Committee.
Article
53 – Associations Committee
The Associations Committee
shall deal with relations between NFB and its Affiliated members and
draw up proposals for optimum cooperation. The Committee prepares the
applications for membership of the candidates Football Associations.
Article
54 - Players’ Eligibility Committee
The Players’ Status Committee
shall set up and monitor compliance with the eligibility criterions
during the friendly games, tournaments and various NFB competitions.
Article
55 - Organising Committee for the VIVA World Cup
The Organising Committee for
the VIVA World Cup shall organise the VIVA World Cup in compliance with
the provisions of the regulations applicable to this competition and
the Organising Association Agreement.
Article
56 – Calendar Committee
The Calendar
Committee shall elaborate the NFB world-wide calendar, coordinate and
control the friendly games and tournaments played by the NFB members,
and transmit the results in order to establish the World Ranking.
Article
57 – Legal Committee
The Legal Committee shall analyse
basic legal issues relating to the evolution of the Constitution and
regulations of NFB, confederations and members.
Article
58 - Media and Communication Committee
The Media Committee shall deal
with the working conditions for the media at NFB events and maintain
relations with international media organizations. The Committee shall
elaborate the communication tools.
Article
59 – Marketing Committee
The Marketing Committee shall
deal with the search for financial partners and the preparation for
the contracts between NFB and its partners.
Article
60 - Disciplinary Committee
1) If possible, the
manager of the Disciplinary Committee shall have legal qualifications.
2) The committee shall
pass decisions only when at least two members are present. In certain
cases, the manager may rule alone.
3)
The committee may pronounce the sanctions on members, officials and
players.
4)
These provisions are subject to the disciplinary powers of the General
Meeting and Executive Committee with regard to the suspension and expulsion
of members.
Article
61 – Appeal Authority
The Executive Committee is
the only appeal authority. It is responsible for hearing appeals against
decisions from the standing committees. Decisions pronounced shall be
irrevocable and binding on all the parties concerned.
V.
SUBMISSION TO DECISIONS OF NFB
Article
62 - Principle
1)
The confederations and members shall agree to comply fully with any
decisions passed by the relevant NFB bodies which, according to this
Constitution, are final and not subject to appeal.
2)
They shall take every precaution necessary to ensure that their own
members, players and officials comply with these decisions.
Article
63 - Sanctions
Any violation of the foregoing
provisions will be punished.
VI. FINANCE
Article
64 – Business year
The business
year shall start on 1 January and finish on 31 December.
Each year,
at the end of the business year, the account books shall be closed.
The Executive Committee shall give an account of the year and the budget
for the following year and submit them for approval by the Ordinary
General Meeting.
When preparing
the annual budget, the Executive Committee shall decide on the use of
the funds collected or to be collected, should there be a positive balance
after the auditing of the administration and running costs.
The NFB reserves
the right to claim the funds paid or obtain them through the courts,
should their use not correspond to what had been planned by the NFB.
Article
65 – Annual subscription
1)
Membership subscriptions are due on 1 January of each year. The annual
subscription for new members for the year in question shall be paid
within 30 days of the close of the General Meeting at which they were
admitted.
2)
The Executive Committee shall fix the amount of the annual subscription.
Article
66 - Settlement
NFB may debit any member’s
account to settle claims.
VII.
RIGHTS IN COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS
Article
67 - Rights
1)
NFB and its members are the original owners of all of the rights emanating
from competitions and other events coming under their respective jurisdiction,
without any restrictions as to content, time, place and law. These rights
include, among others, every kind of financial rights, audiovisual and
radio recording, reproduction and broadcasting rights, multimedia rights,
marketing and promotional rights and incorporeal rights such as emblems
and rights arising under copyright law.
2)
The Executive Committee shall decide how and to what extent these rights
are utilised and draw up special regulations to this end. The Executive
Committee shall alone decide whether these rights shall be utilised
exclusively, or jointly with a third party or entirely through a third
party.
Article
68 - Authorisation
NFB and its members are exclusively
responsible for authorising the distribution of image and sound and
other data carriers of football matches and events coming under their
respective jurisdiction, without any restrictions as to content, time,
place and technical and legal aspects.
Article
69 - Venue
The Executive Committee shall
decide the venue for all the competitions organised by NFB. The Executive
Committee shall issue guidelines in this connection.
VIII. COMPETITIONS
Article
70 - International match calendar
The Executive Committee shall
compile an international match calendar to which the confederations
and Affiliated members are invited to conform with.
Article
71 - International matches and competitions
1)
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for issuing provisions
for organising international matches and competitions between national
representative teams.
2)
The Executive Committee may draw up further technical provisions.
Article
72 - Contacts
Matches may be played or sporting
contacts be made between an Affiliated member and a Football Associations
which is not member of NFB, providing that this Football Association
owns a legal judicial existence and is recognized as the only football
representative of its People, Nation, Minority or Isolated Territory
population
IX.
FINAL DISPOSITIONS
Article
73 – Internal Regulations
The Executive
Committee shall draw up Internal Regulations which shall be submitted
to the General Meeting for approval. After this, the Executive Committee
may propose, during the Ordinary General Meeting, the amendments it
deems useful for these regulations.
Article
74 - Officials writs
All instruments,
invoices, declarations, publications and other records issued by the
NFB shall include the association name immediately preceded or followed
by the terms « association sans but lucratif » or A.S.B.L (non-profit
making association).
Article
75 – Administrative control
The NFB shall register at the
trade court a copy of the Constitution, of the writs relative to the
appointment, the end of functions of the representatives and agents
of the NFB, as well as a copy of the members’ register and of the
annual accounts.
In case of
modification, the members’ register shall be deposited at the trade
court within the month of the birthday of the Constitution’s deposit.
Article
76 - Modifications to the statutes
The present statutes may be
amended in accordance with the provisions of Articles 8 and 9 of the
Belgian Law of 27 June 1921.
Article
77 – Dissolution
The members agree that, should
the NFB cease to have legal personality for any cause whatsoever, it
shall be dissolved ipso jure.
The General Meeting may pronounce
the dissolution of the association only in the conditions provided for
in Article 20 of the Belgian Law of 27 June 1921 and in accordance with
these presents.
Any decision
regarding the dissolution of the NFB made by a General Meeting at which
the two-thirds of the members of the NFB are not present, shall be submitted
for the approval of the civil court.
The General
Meeting pronouncing the liquidation shall appoint two liquidators.
Once the liabilities
have been discharged, the positive surplus shall be paid to an association
with a similar object of business or to a charity working with physically
or mentally handicapped children, the choice of which shall be submitted
for approval by the General Meeting, each member of the NFB being able
to put forward an association or charity of his/her choice.
Article
78 - Non planned and overpowering circumstances
Decisions pronounced by the
Executive Committee shall be irrevocable for all the non planned and
overpowering circumstances.
Article
79 – Founder members
The following
members which have created the NFB on 12 December 2003 are the Founder
Members:
MICHELIS Christian,
French,
MISSON Luc,
Belgian,
KIT Jean-Luc,
French.
The following
Founder Member has resigned to his status on 30 September 2006:
MARCADE Thierry,
French.
Article
80 – Enforcement
This Constitution was adopted by the Extraordinary General Meeting in Geneva on 29 September 2007 and will come into force on 1 October 2007.
Geneva, 29 September 2007
FOR THE NFB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
|
The N.F.-Board President
Christian Michelis
|
The General Secretary
Jean-Luc Kit
|
| 
