European Sport Shito Ryu Federation
Statutes |
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European Sport Shito Ryu Federation
S T A T U T E S
Article 1) European Sports Shito Ryu Federation 1.1 European Sport Shito Ryu Federation (hereinafter "ESSHRF"): ESSHRF is an international, non-political, non-profit organization with legal entity status. It is an association of financially and organizationally independent sports entities and individuals based in Europe, whose main activity is the training of Shito Ryu Karate. The Federation operates in the territory of the Slovak Republic and other European countries in accordance with their legal regulations. ESSHRF is governed by its Statutes and the resolutions adopted by its bodies. 1.2 Headquarters:
European Sports Shito Ryu Federation
2.1 ESSHRF generally follows the basic principles of the Olympic Charter. Its task is to promote the activities of sports Shito Ryu Karate through organizing sports competitions in Europe. 2.2 In accordance with the Olympic Charter, ESSHRF maintains its independence and autonomy in managing sports Shito Ryu Karate and its Member Federations, Groups of Clubs established on the basis of cooperation agreements, Clubs, and individual members (hereinafter “MF”, “GOC”). 2.3 The mission of ESSHRF is to enable karate practitioners from Shito Ryu Karate schools in Europe to assess their skills by participating in international karate competitions in both sports and traditional forms. The activities of ESSHRF include: a) To promote, expand, and improve the practice of Shito Ryu Karate in relation to educational, cultural, and sports values in Europe ("Karate Movement"); b) To support fair play and the development of youth education; c) To strengthen peace and cooperation through participation in sports activities; d) To create technical rules for the management of Kumite and Kata competitions; e) To create activities aimed at achieving the above-mentioned goals.
Article 3) Statutes, Rules, and Regulations 3.1 Statutes: These "Statutes" are the universal document by which the sport in the European Sports Shito Ryu Federation is governed. 3.2 Rules of Competition: Tournaments and championships organized under ESSHRF will be governed by the ESSHRKF Competition Rules and their interpretation.
Article 4) Language 4.1 Official Language: The official language of ESSHRF is English. 4.2 Statutes and Rules: The Statutes, Competition Rules and their amendments are published in the Slovak language and subsequently translated into the official language. In the Competiton Rules and their provisions, Japanese technical terms will be used as needed. 4.3 Meetings: In the meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Board, communication will take place in English. Communication with the Secretariat, minutes, correspondence, seminars, training, and announcements within ESSHRF will also be in English. Member Federations and Groups of Clubs are responsible for translating materials related to ESSHRF into the language used in their country. Representatives of Member Federations and Groups of Clubs may communicate in their native language provided they secure an interpreter to the official language.
5.1 The main bodies of ESSHRF are as follows: General Assembly (GA), Executive Board (EB), President and Secretariat (See Article 13).
6.1 The governing bodies of ESSHRF will be represented by: a) President b) Two Vice Presidents c) General Secretary d) Treasurer e) Two members of the Executive Board f) Three auditors 6.2 Status: Officials are elected or appointed as individuals, and are not elected as representatives of their Member Federations (MF) or Groups of Clubs (GOC). In the ESSHRF bodies, they must operate independently. In the case of substitutes, the following procedures will apply: i.) If an official resigns or is otherwise unable to fulfill their duties, it is not mandatory to nominate a member from the same country to replace them. ii.) If an official is to be replaced, unless otherwise specified, the decision regarding their substitute will be made by the Executive Board through voting. iii.) The elected substitute will serve for the remainder of the predecessor's mandate.
The term of office of an elected official lasts for six years. i.) The mandate of an official begins from the time of their election by the General Assembly. 6.4 Appointment of officials: It is within the authority of the President to appoint or dismiss the following officials:
a) General Secretary 6.5 Elections of officials: i.) Only officials from valid, permanent member federations can run for positions in the governing bodies of ESSHRF. ii.) A candidate wishing to run for a position in ESSHRF must submit their application to the Secretariat at least 60 days before the elections, requesting to be placed on the candidate list for ESSHRF bodies. iii.) Candidates are expected to work independently and responsibly, representing and defending the values and ethics of ESSHRF. Those who do not adhere to these values may face disciplinary action, which could result in the cancellation of their candidacy. Article 7) General Assembly 7.1 General Assembly (GA): The GA is a meeting attended by representatives of the Executive Board and elected representatives of individual Member Federations (MF) and Groups of Clubs (GOC). The GA is the highest governing body within ESSHRF, and its decisions are final. It is convened always on the day before the start of the ESSHRF Championships. The GA is quorum-capable when a majority of regular members are present. If the required number of delegates does not arrive within 30 minutes from the scheduled start time, the GA will still be considered quorum-capable with the number of delegates present. 7.2 Powers of the GA: i.) Appoints the president and other members of the Executive Board (officials are appointed by the president); ii.) Establishes and modifies the statutes and their amendments, Competitions rules iii.) Controls, proposes, and approves the financial budget; iv.) Approves and monitors the activities of individual committees and their projects; v.) Approves other important matters related to the functioning of the organization; vi.) Monitors the activities of the president and the Executive Board. 7.3 Chairman: The president of ESSHRF shall preside over the General Assembly.
7.4 Representatives of National Federations and Groups of Clubs: Member Federations and Groups of Clubs with voting rights may delegate two representatives to attend the General Assembly. Only delegated representatives from the "MF" and "GOC" are allowed to participate in the elections and engage in discussions. Member Federations and Groups of Clubs with provisional membership may delegate one representative, but this representative will have the status of an observer without the right to vote or make decisions on resolutions.
7.5 General Assembly Meetings: Regular meetings of the General Assembly will always be held at the location of the ESSHRF Championships. 7.6 An extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly may be called based on: i.) Within 3 months upon the request of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the ESSHRF Executive Board (EB). ii.) Within 3 months upon the request of two-thirds (2/3) of the Member Federations (MF) or Groupings of Clubs (GOC). iii.) The date, location, and agenda of the extraordinary meeting will be determined by the president. Matters not listed on the agenda of the General Assembly meeting may only be discussed if agreed upon by two-thirds of the delegates. 7.7 Elections: Unless otherwise specified, members of the EB (excluding auditors) who meet the provisions of these statutes may participate in voting for elections. i.) Elections to the governing bodies are generally public. In the case of a secret ballot, a proposal for such a voting method must be submitted and supported by a majority of the representatives present. ii.) In the event of a tie, the president has the casting vote. 7.8 Resolutions: Elections to the governing bodies and resolutions related to the activities of ESSHRF become valid if one-third of the regular members participate in the General Assembly, and the majority of delegates present approve them. 7.9 Validity of Adopted Resolutions: Resolutions come into effect immediately after being approved by the General Assembly. The minutes of the General Assembly must be sent to the Member Federations within two months after the meeting.
8.1 Composition: The Executive Board consists of the president, two vice presidents, the general secretary, the treasurer, and two members of the Executive Board. 8.2 Duties: Members of the Executive Board must attend the meetings of the Executive Board and General Assembly and responsibly perform the duties outlined in the statutes. Their primary task and goal must be the development of ESSHRF. The Executive Board decides on the following matters: a) Planning the activities and managing the organization. b) Ensuring the financial budget.
c) Make amendments to the Statutes and create their supplements. 8.3 Participation: An elected or appointed member of the Executive Board who fails to attend two consecutive Executive Board meetings without excuse and without the approval of the other Executive Board members will not be allowed to participate in voting at the next Executive Board meeting.
8.4 Meetings:
8.5 Voting: i.) A simple majority of the members present and voting at the Executive Board meeting will decide on the adopted resolutions or other decisions.
8.6 General Assembly Meeting Participation:
8.7 E-voting: Article 9) President
9.1.President: The duties of the president are as follows:
a) Leads and represents ESSHRF. 9.2 Urgent Matters: In the event of a matter that is not specified in these Statutes or issues requiring resolution between two General Assembly meetings, the president may take immediate measures to address these matters. However, they must be discussed and approved at the next regular General Assembly meeting. 9.3 Advisors: The president may appoint advisors or special assistants to address specific matters. 9.4 Representation: In the event that the president resigns or is unable to fulfill their duties, one of the vice presidents, by agreement with the members of the Executive Board, may assume the position of president. The members of the Executive Board will appoint them to the position by a simple majority vote. Article 10) Vice Presidents
10.1 Duties: a) Assist in fulfilling the tasks and objectives delegated to them by the president. b) In the event that matters require it, chair the Executive Board and General Assembly meetings. c) Oversee appeals and present the report of the resolution to the Executive Board and the president. Article 11) General Secretary 11.1 The General Secretary shall: a) Plan and execute all matters related to the organization and activities of ESSHRF and represent ESSHRF to the public. b) Submit the minutes of ESSHRF activities to the Executive Board and General Assembly meetings and provide a report on the activities of the Secretariat. c) In cooperation with or with the approval of the president, negotiate contracts between ESSHRF and other organizations or companies. Article 12) Members of the Executive Board, Treasurer, and Auditors 12.1 Members of the Executive Board: Members of the Executive Board attend the meetings of the Executive Board and General Assembly and perform the duties outlined in Article 8. 12.2 Treasurer: The treasurer prepares the budget and manages accounting. The treasurer submits the financial report for approval to the Executive Board and General Assembly.
12.3 Auditors: a) Conduct an audit of ESSHRF, control accounting, and review the financial management report. b) Submit a report on the control of ESSHRF’s financial management and activities to the Executive Board and General Assembly meetings.
Article 13) Secretariat 13.1 ESSHRF may establish a Secretariat at its headquarters to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the president and the general secretary.
14.1 Member Federations or Groups of Clubs established under a Cooperation Agreement: Only those MB, GOG, Independent Club, and individual Shito Ryu Karate members who agree with the provisions of Article 2 of the Statutes may become members of ESSHRF. MCF, GOC applying for membership in ESSHRF must be organizations with legal personality registered in the countries where they operate. ESSHRF can also register. Independent Club ("IC") with legal personality and Individual Members from countries where there is no registered Federation in ESSHRF or the possibility to form a Groups of Clubs. Such members can participate in all events organized by ESSHRF but do not have voting rights and cannot be elected to positions in ESSHRF bodies. 14.2 ESSHRF has a limit for membership; only one Federation from each country can become a member. As a general rule, if a Federation is already registered in ESSHRF from a country, no other Federation or Groups of Clubs can apply for membership. Members of registered Club will be limited in the number of participants at ESSHRF Championships. The General Secretary, after the confirmation deadline for participation in the Championships, will grant these clubs the possible number of participants they can register in the individual competition categories and disciplines. The number of participants will depend on the number of Federations and Groups of Clubs that have confirmed their participation in the Championships.
14.3 Membership: a) Regular Member: Has voting rights at General Assembly meetings and the right to participate in all events organized by ESSHRF. However, they must regularly pay the required fees established by the approved Economic Regulations of the General Assembly. b) Membership with limited rights: MF, GOC that have not met the financial requirements set by these Statutes, have not fulfilled the requirements for participation in the M-ESSHRF, or are being dealt with by the Ethics Committee for violations of the Statutes will have limited rights. They will not be able to vote at the General Assembly meetings but will be able to participate in official ESSHRF events. Such MF, GOC will, however, be required to pay membership fees. To regain the status of regular member, they must fulfill all the conditions set out in the Statutes. c) Provisional Membership: MF, GOC, IC that have met the application requirements and are awaiting approval for membership by the Executive Board and General Assembly are provisional members. A provisional member does not have voting rights at General Assembly meetings, but has the right to participate in all official ESSHRF activities. A provisional member is not required to pay the annual fee for the year if the registration fee has been paid. A provisional member becomes a regular member only after fulfilling all the conditions set out in these Statutes and after approval by the Executive Board and General Assembly. d) Suspended Membership: MF, GOC may have their membership rights suspended in ESSHRF if the auditors report that they are not fulfilling their financial obligations or other binding commitments. If they repeatedly violate the Statutes or refuse to rectify the deficiencies pointed out by the ESSHRF Disciplinary Committee, their membership may be suspended. MF, GOC with suspended membership cannot participate in any official ESSHRF events. MF, GOG are not required to pay the annual fee during the suspension period. The suspension of activity can be revoked by the Executive Board based on the president's recommendation.
15.1 Application for Membership: To join ESSHRF, approval from both the Executive Board (EB) and the General Assembly (GA) is required. MF, GOC applying for membership must submit the following to the Secretariat: i) MF must submit an extract of the organization’s registration in the home country (proof of legal entity), an application including the name, registered office address, president’s name, number of members, and pay the registration fee as specified in the approved Economic Regulations. ii) GOC must submit a cooperation agreement signed by at least three clubs with legal entity status and pay the registration fee as specified in the approved Economic Regulations. iii) An Independent Club (IC) must submit proof of legal entity status and pay the registration fee as specified in the approved Economic Regulations. iv) An Individual Member must submit a completed application form and pay the registration fee as specified in the approved Economic Regulations. v) A binding application for the ESSHRF Championships. 15.2 Approval Process: In case the application is submitted to the Secretariat, it will be presented at the next EB meeting for discussion. If the EB accepts the application, it will be submitted for approval to the General Assembly (GA).
Article 16) Rights and Obligations of "MF" and "GOC", "IC" and Individual Members 16.1. A Rights of MF and GOC: a) To vote and be elected to the Federation's bodies. b) To propose and vote on proposals. c) To be informed about the Federation's activities and to participate in them. d) To demand the proper fulfillment of adopted resolutions from the Federation's bodies. e) MF and GOC with full membership have the right to apply to organize ESSHRF Championships. f) To work in the Federation’s bodies (if elected) and participate in the Federation’s activities to the best of their abilities, opportunities, and skills. g) Federation members are allowed to do everything that is not prohibited by the statutes or other regulations. 16.1. B. Rights of IC and Individual Members: a) To be informed about the Federation's activities and to participate in them. b) To attend GA meetings with advisory voting rights. 16.2 Obligations of MF and GOC: a) MF, GOC, IC, and individual members must pay the membership fee by the end of the calendar year. b) MF, GOC with full membership must participate in ESSHRF Championships. c) MF and GOC are obliged to follow the statutes and resolutions of the Federation in their activities. 16.2 Obligations of MF, GOC: a) MF,GOC, IC, and individual members are obligated to pay the membership fee by the end of the calendar year. b) MF, GOC with full membership must participate in ESSHRF Championships. 1) MF and GOC are obliged to comply with the statutes and resolutions of the Federation in their activities. 2) Elected officials must perform their entrusted duties honestly and responsibly. 3) To manage the Federation’s property and resources efficiently and protect them from misuse or destruction. 4) To protect the good name of the Federation and fulfill its goals and mission. 16.3 Resignation: MF, GOC, IC may withdraw from ESSHRF, but they must fulfill all obligations that were not met, and they must do so within two months from the end of the calendar year.
Article 17) Protection of Rights 17.1 Protection of Rights: All members of ESSHRF are equal under these Statutes. ESSHRF must ensure that no one is discriminated against based on citizenship, race, religion, political beliefs, gender, or other factors that would limit the rights of its members.
18.1 Calendar: The date and location of the Championships, Tournaments, and other activities within ESSHRF will be subject to approval by the GA.
19.1 Activities: ESSHRF will support and carry out the following activities: i.) To promote and organize Championships and other sporting activities. ii.) To recognize and support member organizations and carry out activities related to the further development of Shito Ryu Karate Do. iii.) To develop and support educational activities, organize seminars, training sessions, and certify officials working within ESSHRF. iv.) Other activities approved by the EB and GA that support the tasks and goals outlined in Article 2 of the Statutes.
Article 20) ESSHRF Championships 20.1 ESSHRF Championships will be held annually in May or June, unless the GA decides otherwise. 20.2 Selection of the Hosting Country: Any MF, GOC may apply to host the championships, but they must meet the following conditions and procedures: i.) The application must be sent to the Organizing Committee with the prescribed conditions for hosting. ii.) The ESSHRF Organizing Committee will review the applicants' possibilities. After evaluating the applications, they will prepare a report on the options of the individual hosts and submit a proposal to the EB for approval. 20.3 Hosting Agreement: The selected MF that agrees to host the Championships with ESSHRF will sign a contract with the specified conditions no later than eight months before the event.
21.1. Competition Rules: The Championships organized by ESSHRF will be governed by the approved ESSHRF Competition Rules.
21.3 Referee Training: The Referee Commission has the right to train and grant licenses based on authorized training sessions and seminars. 21.4 Referee Qualifications: The President guarantees the granting of "Referee" and "Judge" qualifications only to those who have successfully attended referee training or seminars. A requirement is that they meet all the conditions set by the Referee Commission of ESSHRF for the granting of a referee license. 21.5 Coaches: The President guarantees the granting of the "Coach" qualification only to those who have successfully attended coach training and met all the requirements set by ESSHRF for the granting of a coach license. 21.6 Rules and Conditions: The conditions set for organizing the championships, tournaments, and the decision-making rules are binding for organizers, athletes, coaches, and referees and are approved by the EB.
Article 22) Financing Activities 22.1 Financial Management will be carried out according to the approved budget, which is approved by the VZ based on the VV’s recommendation. 22.2 Income Items of the Budget: ESSHRF’s income is secured from the following sources: annual membership fees from MF, GOC, IC, individual members, entry fees, coach licenses, donations, and other revenues. 22.3 Financial Year: The financial year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31 of each year. 22.4 The finances obtained for the ESSHRF budget will be used solely to support the fulfillment of its established tasks and goals.
Article 23) Committees and Ad-Hoc Committees 23.1 Committees: The ESSHRF EB may establish working committees and ad-hoc committees:
23.2 General Provisions for the Committees: a) Composition: All committees, are composed of a chairperson and minimum of two members. The term of committee members lasts for four years. Members are proposed by the president and approved by the EB. b) Meetings: The committees can meet on the day of the GA session, prior to the session of the Referee Committee Sports, Committee and EB when organizing the ESSHRF Championships. The committees that propose changes related to their responsibilities must submit their proposals to the EB for approval. If the proposed changes require the involvement of other committees, those committees may participate in the meetings related to the changes. c) Roles and Responsibilities: The EB or the President assigns each committee with the execution and application of the rights within their competencies.
23.3 Ad-Hoc Committees: The EB or GA may establish ad-hoc committees in cases requiring urgent resolution.
Article 24) Sanctions 24.1 Reasons for Sanctions: ESSHRF may sanction its members who violate the Statutes, Competition Rules, or other approved ESSHRF regulations, including the anti-doping code. Sanctions may also be imposed for failure to meet ESSHRF’s goals and tasks, violations of ethics and values, or any actions that may damage ESSHRF's reputation in the public eye. 24.2 Sanctions: Sanctions will be handled by the Ad-Hoc Committee established by the governing body of ESSHRF. Sanctions imposed on MF, GOC, IC, or individuals may include: a) Warning b) Reprimand c) Financial fine d) Suspension of activity e) Expulsion f) Any other sanction deemed adequate to resolve the issue. 24.3 The Ad-Hoc Committee for sanctions will consist of a maximum of five members, who will be appointed by the EB based on the President's proposal.
Article 25) Dissolution of the Organization 25.1 The dissolution of ESSHRF may be decided by the EB delegates with a unanimous decision. A quorum of more than half of the regular ESSHRF members must attend the EB. 25.2 The assets of ESSHRF will be disposed of according to the decision of the EB in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
26.1 Additions: The EB, in the case of changes, must ensure and prepare a written form of the amendments and additions to the Statutes, which must be approved at the next EB session. Changes to the Competition Rules and organization of the Championships must be approved by the GA.
27.1 Authority for Interpretation: The authority to resolve any disputes arising from the interpretation of these Statutes lies with the president. Before making a final decision, the president must seek confirmation from the members of the Executive Committee.
28.1 Three karate clubs with legal status from a given country may form an association of clubs based on a contract and cooperation. Such an association must send the secretariat a membership application with a signed cooperation agreement. Only one association per country can be registered within ESSHRF with the Federation's authority. In countries without an ESSHRF-registered Federation or Groups of Clubs, Independent Club and individual member may apply for membership. In a country in which no Federation or Group of Clubs is registered within the ESSHRF, a club holding the status of a registered civic association, as well as an individual applicant, may apply for membership in the ESSHRF. However, upon the establishment of a Federation or an Association of clubs in that country which subsequently applies for and is admitted to membership in the ESSHRF, such members shall be obliged to become members of that Federation or Association. Upon joining the Federation or Association, their direct membership in the ESSHRF shall automatically terminate. 28.2 Abbreviations used in the Statutes:
Article 29 – Final Provisions29.1 Upon the approval of these ESSHRF Statutes, the Statutes of the ESHRKF, which were acknowledged on 2 November 2012 under registration number VVS/1-900/90-40306, are hereby repealed. 29.2 Any future amendments to these Statutes approved by the highest governing body of the ESSHRF – the General Assembly – shall become valid and effective on the date of their approval, unless the General Assembly decides that the amendments shall enter into force at a later date. 29.3 These Statutes were discussed and approved by the members of the Executive Committee on 6 June 2025, on which date they entered into force and became effective. The change of the name of the Statutes was approved at an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of ESHRKF on 6 June 2025 in Varaždin, Republic of Croatia.
Registered with the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic on 01.08.2025.
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