47 th WORLD SQUASH FEDERATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AGENDA

Transcription

1 47 th WORLD SQUASH FEDERATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AGENDA 09:30 Sunday 3 December 2017 Hotel Mercure Vieux Port Marseille, France 0

2 WORLD SQUASH FEDERATION LIMITED 47 th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER 2017 AGENDA PRESIDENT S WELCOME 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 2. ATTENDANCE & PROCEDURES a) Members represented and number of votes b) Observers present c) Others present: i. By right ii. By invitation d) Voting Procedures e) Appointment of Scrutineers 3. APPLICATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP a) Paraguay and Estonia The requisite documentation and payment has been received for each of the above. 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING Held on 5 August 2017, Manchester, England. Annexure A 5. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Annexure B 6. MOTIONS TO AMEND THE RULES OF SQUASH None received. 7. MOTIONS TO AMEND THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF WSF LIMITED a) To update the Articles of Association in accordance with the attached proposal Motion: Executive Board Annexure C Each proposed amendment shall be taken as a separate motion if necessary, to enable any that fail not to void changes as a whole. b) Elections - Amend Article 34(g) as follows: Motion: Sweden and Belgium 1

3 In the case of a contested ballot, the elected candidate must receive the majority of the votes. The candidate with the highest number of votes in each round is elected. This is to be continued until the required number of officers is reached. Where two (2) candidates have the same number of highest votes, then there will be a revote between these two (2) candidates only. Easier to understand, more transparent and quicker. We refer to the situation at the WSF AGM 2016 when we had to elect four Vice-Presidents from eight candidates. It took us 5 to 6 hours and about 28 rounds to eliminate four candidates. With this amendment we wish to avoid such a situation. If approved other Articles related to this one should be changed as well. c) Elections - Amend Article 40 as follows: Motion: Sweden and Belgium All Full Members will have one (1) vote in the case of any election and changes to the Memorandum & Articles of Association. In all other issues a Member can have one (1) extra vote if they participated in a WSF team event in the year before the year of the AGM. A member can have one (1) extra vote when that Member has hosted a WSF team event in the previous three (3) years. A member can have a maximum of three (3) votes. Today the number of votes are based on the number of courts. This is very subjective and this number has never been checked. Which courts are taken into account? Some National Federations count the courts in their country that are a member of the federation. Others count all the courts in the country, member or not. We believe it should be the first option but this is also subjective. We refer to a situation in the past in which a country goes down from 6 to 3 votes. It is hard to believe that that country loses 850 courts in one year time. The only reason was that this National Federation wished to lower its WSF membership fee with approx We can conclude that the fees are not really based on the number of courts, but on the membership fee a Full Member wishes to pay. In the frame of good governance we believe that in the case of elections and changing the articles of the Memorandum all Full Members are members and should be treated equally and given the same saying and rights. When changes must be made in the rules and regulations of the game and events then we can accept a difference in votes. The Full Member that participates in WSF team events or hosts a WSF team event has more knowledge about these specific issues and has supported WSF and therefore it should be awarded by more votes when voting on these specific issues. The current situation is not a good example of good democracy. In the current situation 12 to 15 full Members control any election and the Memorandum. Full Members with a lower number of courts and thus lower number of votes can never change articles of the memorandum, nor having a real say in the election of officers, if not supported by the Full Members with more votes. The IOC states that democratic processes, such as elections, should be governed by clear, transparent and fair rules. This system of countries carrying 1 to 6 rules is not fair nor democratic. This is in line with most international federations, which are recognized by the IOC, as well as in the Annual General Meetings of the WSF Regional Federations where each National Squash Federation has one vote, as we experience in European Squash Federation. From a financial point of view WSF can still keep a number of categories which identify the annual membership fee of each Member, (ESF has 5 categories with different membership fees and yet one vote per country) but it should not be linked with the number of votes for elections and the Memorandum as it is today. If approved other Articles related to this one should be changed as well. 2

4 d) Executive Board - Amend Article 51 as follows: Motion: Sweden and Belgium The Executive Board shall comprise. to article 56 of these Articles. Additionally the five (5) Regional Vice-Presidents, a representative of PSA and the Chair of the Athlete Commission are formally recognised as Executive Board members and are invited to all Executive Board meetings. We bring this motion back on the table because it was a motion at the WSF AGM in Nice and not retained by the Working Group and thus never voted on by the members. So we wish to bring it back to the members attention. The five Regions are an integral and critical part of WSF s core business and should therefore be an integral part of the decision-making (existing Article 86). We support the idea of the Board to rename the 5 regions (Article 124 of the proposed new motions), but it should not only be used for branding or promotion squash all over the world or WSF, but it should have value to all parties. Today these 7 persons are member of the Executive Committee but it has no meaning at all in the decision making or the policy of WSF. We believe it will help the communication between the regions, PSA and the athletes. The regions can bring an input in the agenda and discuss this with the WSF elected Board, they can come to a consensus or decision together and very important they can see to it that the decisions are brought to the regional boards and the regions are responsible to implement these policies. Both, WSF and the regions can profit from it: it improves communication and collaboration, shows unity not only by name but also content wise. For that reason we suggest that The WSF pays for the accommodation and the Regions and PSA pay for their transportation. It is a cost for the regions, but from experience we believe it has enormous value for the money. This also implies to PSA and the Athlete Commission. We have always been in favour of a structural relationship between PSA and WSF. This could be a first step. It is up to the regional President, to the PSA and athletes representatives to accept that invitation or not. We understand that there will be only one Athletes Commission. If not, it should. The regional President can delegate this position to another elected officer of that region for a designated period. It helps the continuity of the Board. If approved the Executive Committee can be dissolved (existing Articles 84-90) If approved other Articles related to this one should be changed as well. e) Regional Federations - Amend the Executive Board s proposed new Article 130 as follows: Motion: Sweden and Belgium its own Members. The WSF shall have the right to appoint the President, or one (1) Vice-President or the Secretary General a representative to attend and to address any General Meeting of a Regional Federation with the discretion of the President of that region. f) Ethics Commission Amend Articles 96(a)i and 96(a)ii as follows: Motion: Germany Existing Article 96(a)i No more than two (2) active members of the WSF Executive Board or Regional Federation Boards; Proposed amendment to Article 96(a)i No more than two (2) active members of the WSF Executive Board, Regional or National Federation Boards; 3

5 Existing Article 96(a)ii At least three (3) people who are not members of the WSF Executive Board or Regional Federation Boards; one (1) of whom has no direct link to Squash; Proposed amendment to Article 96(a)ii At least three (3) people who are not members of the WSF Executive Board, Regional or National Federation Boards; one (1) of whom has no direct link to Squash; To reflect the wording as stated in the Code of Ethics as Amended & Approved by the IOC 12/08/2016, thereby making the Commission more independent. g) Ethics & Compliance Officer Amend the Executive Board s proposed new Article as follows:: Motion: Germany Board Proposed The Ethics & Compliance Officer shall not have held a position within the WSF (elected or Commission) for any period during the thirty-six (36) months prior to his/her appointment. Amendment to Board Proposed The Ethics & Compliance Officer shall not hold or have held a position within the WSF (elected or Commission), Regional or National Federation Boards for any period during the thirty-six (36) months prior to his/her appointment. To make the Commission more independent. h) Remuneration of Members of the Executive Board Amend Sub-Heading above Article 67 and Article 67 as follows: Motion: Germany Existing Sub-Heading & Article 67 REMUNERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD Members of the Executive Board shall not be entitled to payment for their services but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in legitimate work for the WSF which has been authorised in advance of expenditure and which conforms to the criteria for expenses set by the Executive Board. Proposed amendment to Sub-Heading & Article 67 REMUNERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, COMMITTEES OR COMMISSIONS Members of the Executive Board, Committees or Commissions shall not be entitled to payment for their services but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in legitimate work for the WSF which has that have been authorised in advance of expenditure and which conforms to the criteria for expenses set by the Executive Board. Even though this motion seems to be unnecessary, it is better that it is written in our Articles to prevent a possible misuse as all members of the Executive Board, committees and commissions work on a voluntary basis for Squash. i) Remunerated members of the WSF not permitted to represent National Federations Motion: Germany 4

6 Existing Article 145 A person may only represent (either as delegate or observer) one Member Association or Affiliated Organisation, and may not vote or speak on behalf of another Member Association or Affiliated Organisation. Members of the Executive Board shall not be permitted to represent in any capacity whatsoever either a Member Association or Affiliated Organisation. A delegate shall, if so required, produce to the Executive Board evidence sufficient to satisfy that Board that he/she is the properly appointed delegate of the Member Association he/she claims to represent. Proposed amendment to Article 145 A person may only represent (either as delegate or observer) one Member Association or Affiliated Organisation, and may not vote or speak on behalf of another Member Association or Affiliated Organisation. Members of the Executive Board shall not be permitted to represent in any capacity whatsoever either a Member Association or Affiliated Organisation. Remunerated members of the WSF are not permitted to represent a member Nation as a delegate at a General Meeting. A delegate shall, if so required, produce to the Executive Board evidence sufficient to satisfy that Board that he/she is the properly appointed delegate of the Member Association he/she claims to represent. This motion is self-explanatory, but it is better that it is written in our Articles to prevent a possible misuse. 8. MOTIONS TO AMEND THE CODE OF ETHICS a) To update the WSF Code of Ethics in accordance with the attached proposal Motion: Executive Board Annexure D 9. MOTIONS GENERAL None received. 10. MOTIONS TO CREATE & AMEND REGULATIONS GOVERNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS a) Motion for Change: Proposal for new wording around eligibility. Motion: European Squash Federation (supported by Scotland & Poland) Explanation A proposal is being put forward to revise the wording around eligibility to: 1. allow parental birth to be an eligibility factor and 2. reduce the gap between exercising qualifications Rationale Increased globalisation is leading to unprecedented levels of movement of people from country to country. Player feedback shows that current WSF eligibility wording may not allow for people to represent a country to which a player may feel a deep connection or cultural identity. Therefore, a review of the wording is being put forward to ensure greater relevance for the times and a consistent process for the application of the wording henceforth. The proposed new wording around eligibility is outlined below: K2. A player is eligible to represent a country in a recognised International Squash Team or Individual Championship if he was born in that country, or at least one of his parents was born in the country, or is a citizen of, or became a naturalised citizen of, or has resided in the country for at least three years immediately preceding the Championships. A senior player will only be allowed to change eligibility once in a lifetime in this context. 5

7 K4. Notwithstanding the above, a player is ineligible to represent a country if he has represented another country in the calendar year in which the application to move countries is submitted i.e. before 31 December. The procedure: Player request new MNA to be recognized as national player; MNA send WSF a player nationality change for the SPIN database and a copy of the request goes to the current registered MNA. Current MNA has 21 days to object to WSF. After 21 days WSF modifies record in SPIN database if player complies to eligibility regulations and no objection is received from current MNA. Players that are suspended by a MNA or under investigation of a doping offence are not allowed to get their SPIN record modified. 11. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS a) To update Members on progress made in assigning World Championships in the last year and receive expressions of interest to host future events: As of 1 September Men s Team FRANCE USA Women s Team CHINA (A) VACANT (C) Women s World Championship PSA PSA PSA PSA Men s World Championship PSA PSA PSA PSA Men s & Women s Junior NEW ZEALAND INDIA MALAYSIA VACANT (C) Women s Junior Team NEW ZEALAND MALAYSIA Men s Junior Team INDIA VACANT (C) World Masters USA VACANT (C) International Doubles ENGLAND AUSTRALIA VACANT (C) Note: Tenders are required by 31 December two years ahead of the Championship e.g. for events in 2020: tenders must be submitted by 31 December (A) Tender accepted subject to successful inspection of proposed venue and accommodation proposed. (B) Played before the Junior Team Championship held concurrently with it. (C) Tender closes 31 December GENERAL BUSINESS a) To receive the Forward Plan of the WSF for 2017/2018. Annexure E b) To receive reports from WSF Regional Presidents: i. Africa Annexure F ii. Asia Annexure G iii. Europe Annexure H iv. Oceania Annexure I v. Pan-America Annexure J 13. WSF FINANCE a) Adoption of the audited accounts for the financial year 2016/2017. Annexure K b) To authorise the Officers to appoint and fix the remuneration of the auditors. c) To receive the Budget for the financial year 2017/2018. Annexure L 6

8 d) MOTION WSF EXECUTIVE BOARD That the Membership Fees of the WSF, for the calendar year 2018, shall be unchanged at: Full Member - 6 votes (1501 courts and over) 7,000 Full Member - 5 votes ( courts) 5,115 Full Member - 4 votes ( courts) 4,175 Full Member - 3 votes ( courts) 2,295 Full Member - 2 votes ( courts) 1,300 Full Member - 1 vote (1-50 courts) 415 Associate Member 35 Affiliate Member ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS (Subject to Clause 145 of WSF Articles of Association At all General Meetings only the business notified in the agenda shall be transacted. Amendments must be kept within the terms of the motion and the Chairman of the Meeting shall have the power to refuse any amendment which substantially alters the intention of the motion. ) 15. FUTURE MEETINGS 7