STATUTES OF THE FISTC

The Preamble

The " FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE SPORTIVE DE TRAINEAU A CHIENS " (FISTC) regroups all European and non European Clubs and organisations which promote the sledging sport with the breeds admitted by the " Federation Cynologique Internationale" (F.C.I. ).
In its quality of eminet organisation of those clubs and federations, the FISTC aims to promote a common and uniform development of dog sledging sports and sled dog races with pure breed sled dogs. The autonomy of member federations and associations is guaranteed.

The statutes will have to be depositted at the Olympic Comittee in Lausanne.

The FISTC and its members undertake to cooperate in all confidence with corresponding breeding associations in various countries.

S 1 Name, headquarter and field of activity

1. The federation name is FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE SPORTIVE DE TRAINEAU A CHIENS, abbreviated in " FISTC ".

2. The Federation has its headquarters at its Charman's address. They may however be fixed at any other place upon a decision by the General Assembly.

3. The field of activity spreads all over the world in countries which do not restrict free movement of people.

S 2 Aims

1. The aim of the Federation consists in practising and promoting the sledging sport with sled dog breeds agree upon by F.C.I. such as Alaskan Malamutes, Greenland- Dogs, Samoyedes, Siberian Huskies.

2. The Federation, its structure and its members aim exclusively and directly towards public utility objectives in the field of promoting and organising dog sledging sports. The Federation acts in desinterested way. It abstains from working, firstly and above all, towards its own interests. Federation assests together with possible surplus can only by used in conformity with statutes. Members cannot receive any share in surplus, nor ( in their quality of members) any bonus or subsidy out of the Federation assets. The federation will not advantage anyone by administrative expenditures not corresponding to the aims of the Federation, nor by huge or out of proportion payments. Excluded or resigning members have to rigt on the patrimony of the Fedration.
Member's contributions or gifts are not given back.

3. The Federation can become Member of other Federations or organisations in order to work out its aims.

S 3 Tasks

The main tasks of the Federation will be:

- Organize the European and/ or World Championship in cooperation with the Member Federation or Association in the host country.

- Harmonize and coordinate calendars for dog sledging international races and championships, Cups, Trophees or International Challenges in cooperation with Member Federations or associations.

- Harmonize identical race rules in all Members countries and control the aplication and respect of these rules by Member federations and associations.

- Assist Member federations and associations in promotig and developing sports.

To the extent possible, form technical executives, technical race managers, instructors for young people, specialised trainers, organize training sessions and seminars, bring assistance to trainings agreed upon by the Federation, aiming to a sporting and intellectual continuous formation within Member federations or associations, agreed by the FISTC.

- Represent and promote dog sledging sports together with member federations and associations in front of national and international authorities and in particular the I.O.C.

- Promote cooperation between Member federations and associations and maintain friendly relationships between them.

- Publish the Federation's FISTC News with the cooperation of all member countries in order to enable the best broadcasting of sport news and informations of general interest within Member federations and associations.

S 4 Fundamental principles

- The FISTC and its members are bound to apply the following fundamental principles:

- Dog sledging sports can only by practised with pure breed sled dogs in the spirit of the F.C.I.

- The fundamental principles of amateuring sports and fairplay must be applied.

- The FISTC feels it must respect the rules of the International societies for the prevention of crualty to animals.

- Respect initial significant marks belonging to sled dog breeds agreed upon by the Federation.

- Maintain the filing according to races categories 1 ( Siberian Huskies), 2 ( Alaskan Malamutes, Greenland dogs, Samoyedes), as well as all classes categories O, A, B, C, D and Ski-jorring, PH, PF, for sport identical filing reasons.

- Confident cooperation with the corresponding breeding associations in the various countries.

S 5 Financial and subscription year

1. For the Federation, the financial year starts the 1st June and finishes the 31st of May each year.

S 6 Quality of Members

1. Only sporting clubs and national sport federations with pure breed sled dogs, agreed upon by the F.C.I., such as Alaskan Malamutes, Greenland dogs, Samoyedes and Siberian Huskies, can become member of the FISTC.

2. A country may be represented by 1 or 2 clubs. As from 3 clubs and more a Federation must be founded, which includes all the clubs, in the country, promote dog sledging sport with pure- breed sled dogs. This Federation may ask for FISTC membership.

3. Organisations of federations having common interests, along the lines of these statutes, as far as dog sledging sports are concerned, can request to be associated. Associations or associate federations have an observe status and a consultative function in the person of a Mandatory.

4. Common law corporations can also become members of the FISTC.

5. Federations or associations belonging to a federation not in conformity with the F.C.I. cannot become member. The status of duplicate member is not possible.

6. Individual members must not belong to a club or federation not in conformity with the F.C.I.

S 7 Acquisition of Member status and affilistion

1. The request for Member status has to be sent to the Chairman of the FISTC, under the form of declaration of participation.
The following documents have to be sent with the candidacy:

- Recognition and approval of the FISTC statutes.

- A certified copy of the federation or association statutes together with a copy of the race rules followed.

- A list of the Executive Board and of the associations belonging to the federation together with a list of all individual members.

- Minutes of the creation of the federation or association together with the member's decision te request affiliation to the FISTC.

- An association requesting affiliation to the FISTC must have at least 10 active mushers ( lists of race results'will prove it). A two year transitory period can be granted to club in new countries in which this sport has not been practised for 10 years.

It will be essential to justify that the federation or association aim towards objectives that are identical to those stated in the paragraphs 2 and 4 of the FISTC statutes. The General Asembly, by decision taken at the majority votes, will decide upon the affiliation to the Federation.

S 8 End of Member status and affiliation

1. The member status finishes either resignation or exclusion, but also because of the dissolution of the member association.

2. A federation or association is able to leave the Federation at the end of each financial year with a 3 months notice. The declaration of resignation must be sent in writing to the Chairman together with the minutes established about the declaration of resignation of the members assembly. The Chairman confirms the resignation of the members assembly. The Chairman confirms the resignation in writing to the resigning member.

3. The exclusion of a federation member may take place following a decision by the Executive Board and in particular for the following reasons:

a) because of breakings of the Federation statutes or rules or

b) because of breaking of arrangements or decisions taken by the FISTC

c) becaouse of rather rank breaking of documental basis of sporting behaviour or Federation interests or

d) because of an affiliation to a federation not in conformity with the F.C.I.

This decision of exclusion will be submitted for ratification to the next General Assembly.
The exclusion process may be initiated by a decision of the Executive Board or following a justified claim by a Federation member.

The member concerned by a decision of exclusion may appeal to the Executive Board will then present the case to the Chairman of Member federations or associations to have their views either during a special meeting or under written procedure.

4. The member status will be cancelled by the Executive Board in the following cases:

a) when the federation or association has been cancelled or dissolved by decision of an autorised organism according to the statutes

b) when the federation or the association has been withdrawn its capacity by the public authorities

c) when members obtain the member status in an association/ federation not in conformity with the F.C.I.

5. The loss of member status does not free from accomplisment of requirements not yet settled vis a vis the Federation. The legal successor has to respond of all requirements not yet settled vis a vis the Federation.

S 9 Membership and subscription fees

1. When the membership formalities are accomplished, members have to pay the membership fees fixed by the General Assembly.

2. Members have to pay subscription fees, each year, to the Federation, the amount of which is agreed upon the General Assembly.

3. Members are responsible for the payment of membership taxes and subscriptions.

S 10 Members' rights and duties

1. Members have the same rights and duties.

2. Members may, coping with the various arrangements and rules, use the equipment belonging to the Federation and take part in all events.

3. Members undertake to comply with the following rules:

3.1 Pratice dog sledging sport only with pure breed sledge dogs, having the corresponding documents established by an association in connection with the F.C.I.

3.2 Breed and train dogs in serious and fair manner complying with the rules of international animals protection socities.

3.3 Behave in a fairplay and friendly way during sporting events.

3.4 Promote the Federation general interest objectives.

3.5 Comply with payment obligations vis a vis the Federation by paying punctually the amounts requested.

3.6 Transmit in writing and inmediately to all individual members all FISTC information in relation with the interests of the member status.

S 11 Federation organism

The eminent part of the Federation is the General Assembly. The Federation is administered by an Executive Board composed with at least 7 persons and at most 9. They are elected for three years and they must, each year, report to the General Assembly on their activities.

In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman's vote preponderates.

S 12 The General Assembly

1. The General Assembly is composed with representatives of the Federation members, federations or associations ( those delegates will have been elected during the meetings or general assemblies of members associations or federations).

2. These representatives have a number of votes in proportion with the number of licenced mushers in their country, i.e. 2 votes for a country accounting less than 500 mushers, 4 votes for a country accounting more than 500 mushers. When a country is represented by two associations they have one vote each. A federation has 2 or 4 votes according to the number of mushers.

S 13 To summon the General Assembly

1. The ordinary meeting of the General Assembly takes place each year during the second quarte. It is summoned by the Chairman.

2. An extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly has to be summoned when at least, 3/4 of the General Assembly or 2/5 of federations or associations belonging to the Federation request it, in written form to the Chairman, indicating precisely the reasons and aims of this extraordinary meeting. This General Assembly meeting has to be summoned at least one month after the request has been notified.

3. The summoning by the Chairman will take place at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the General Assembly by e-mail or in written form.

4. The agenda of issues to be discussed during the General Assembly will be published at the same time than convening notice.

5. The requests about the ordinary meeting of the General Assembly have to be notified at least 4 weeks before.

S 14 Decision making by the Executive Board

1. The Executive Board Executive is the eminent body of the Federation. It will decide in all matters as long as they are relevant to it and not to the General Assembly. It will decide on all presented requests.

2. The Executive Board will be in a position to let other organisms make the decisions by a simple decision.

S 15 Requesting rights, requesting times, priority requests, voting right and deliberation capacity

1. All members have a requesting right according to paragraph 6.

2. All requests must be notified to the Chairman at least 4 weeks before the General Assembly meeting.

3. All requests that have not been notified in due time or which have only been notified after the beginning of the General Assembly will be considered as a prioritaly request. A priority request can only be discussed if the General Assembly has decided so by a simple majority. Priority requests aiming to a modification of the statutes, or of the aims of the Federation, or to a dissolution of the Federation are unacceptable.

4. The General Assembly, summoned in conformity with the established rules, will be in a position to validly deliberate whatever the number of its present voters is.

S 16 Decision making

1. In the case of elections or requests the General Assembly will decide on a basic of a majority of given "yes" or "no". In the case of an equality the Charman's voice preponderates.

2. The modification of the statutes will require a qualifies majority of 3/4 validly expressed voices. The modification of the Federation aims and its dissolution will require a majority of 3/4 validly expressed voices.

S 17 Executive Board

1. The Executive Board will be composed of Members, they are elected for 3 years.

a) The Chairman
b) The Vice Chairman
c) The Treasurer
d) The Secretary
e) The Technical Director for Sprint races
f) The Technical Director for Middle Distance races and for Long Trail races
g ) The Responsible for the FISTC Magazine ( informations FISTC), the public relations, the press and the medias
h ) The Veterinary
i) Animal welfare supervisor

2. The Members of the Executive Board are elected by secrete vote for three years. Members from a) to g) are compulsory, h) and i) are not. Members of the Executive Board can remain at Executive Board, eventhough they are not more representatives of their country, if the importance of their functions as well as the work they are doing contribute to the Federation development and continuity.
Reelections are acceptable.

3. The Executive Board is in a position to validly deliberate as long as at least 2/3 of Members are present.

4. If a Member of Executive Board resign and leaves his functions during his mandate, the Executive Board can replace him by designation of suppletive member until the next General Assembly which will elect a new Member in replacement until the end of the mandate.

S 18 Functions of the Executive Board

1. The Chairman, Vice Chairman and Tresurer are authorised to act for Federation. These three Executive Board Members are entitled to represent the Federation in all legal and non legal processes.

2. The Chairman adminstrates and rules the Federation business.

3. The Chairman summons once a year, during the 4th quarter, a meeting with all the Members of the Executive Board. It could be where the Europe/ World Championship take place in order to check the race- track. During this meeting, members can take all decisions regarding the Federation administration, as well as regarding provisory admission of new clubs.

All decisions are submitted for approval to the next meeting of the General Assembly.
The Executive Board can also invite possible new members to Europe or World Championships and reward them.

4. Executive Board Members have, any time, right to access and participate in all meetings and assamblies of Member federations and associations.

S 19 Situation of Member federations and associations at the FISTC

1. Member federation or associations will do their own business according to their own statutes, provided they are not in contradiction with the FISTC statutes.
2. Member federations will administrate their business themselves, in an autonomous way, according to their attributions.

S 20 Financial general and fundamental principles

1. The Federation plans and administrates its budget in order to guarantee the achievement of its taks.

2. All assets provided in the budget and possible surpluses can only be used in conformity the statutes.

S 21 Budget and supplemantary budget

1. The Treasurer submits each year, to the General Assembly, a balanced budget as far as receipts and expenditures are concerned.

2. In so far as supplementary receipts or expenditures are over the compensation possibility in the overall budget, the Treasurer submits to the General Assembly a supplementary budget.

3. The normal budget as well as the supplementary one have to be approved by the General Assembly.

S 22 Yearly Balances

1. The Treasurer establishes each year a profit and loss account as well as a balance for approval by the General Assembly.

2. Annual accounts and closures of financial years are submitted to the authorisation by the General Assembly.

S 23 Control of accountant books

1. The administration of the Federation is controlled after the end of the financial year and before the date of the General Assembly meeting by 2 financial controllers. They will establish a report on the control of the closure of the financial year, of the receipts and expenditures as well as the budgetary situation. In this report, they will also specify if the financial reports and the book keeping for the Federation have been done in conformity with the rules and if disputes have to be initiated. This control report is submitted to the General Assembly by the financial controllers. As far as the report on the budgetary situation prepared by the Treasurer in concerned, it will have to be given final discharge by the General Assembly.

2. The first financial controller is elected by the Executive Board for three years. The second one is designated by the country in which the General Assembly takes place. They must not belong to the Executive Board. In case of resignation of financial controller, the General Assembly elect a new one for two years.

S 24 Federation rights

1. The FISTC is entitled to take actions against members and inflict penalities at the Federation level, if these members do not respect the objectives of common interest of the Federation, or because of breaking of the Federation statutes, rules or arrangements adopted by the FISTC.

2. " Penalities inflicted by the Federation" can mean:

2.1 Warning notice

2.2 Remonstrance drawing attention to the fact that a request for exclusion from the Federation has been initiated.

2.3 Interdiction to participate in all events of the Federation or of member federations or associations for a period up to 12 months.

2.4 Exclusion from Federation.

3. The General Assembly is competent for the treatment and application of penalities at the Federation level.

4. The following grounds may generate an excluding process:

4.1 Prejudice on the Federation fame and aims.

4.2 Severe breaking of the Federation statutes, as well as its arrangements or rules.

4.3 Insult to members or responsibles working honorifically in the Executive Board, as well as in case of improper and not fairplay behaviour, in the Federation events and in races organised by other federations or associations.

5. Process rules

5.1 When a process is initiated, reproaches are notified in writing to the defendant. In this respect, the defendant is invited to express his view, within the three weeks following the notification, together with any proof that could discharge him.

5.2 All processes will occur without public knowledge, either orally, or in written.

5.3 Decisions concerning the application of sanctions or penalities are taken with an ordinary majority. Minutes are drafted for all meeting concerned with sanctions or penalities. A written notice is then sent to the defendant, specifying the sanction inflicted by the Federation and the reasons having determined it.

S 25 The Federation dissolution

1. The Federation can only be dissolved by a decision taken during a General Assembly meeting, in which at least 3/4 of the Members having the right to vote according to the statutes are present.

2. In the case of dissolution or suppression of the Federation, the members have no right on the patrimony of the Federation. In the case of dissolution or suppression of the Federation, all the assents are transferred to a corporation which benefits from tax reductions, so that it can use them for the profit of sport.

3. In the case of the Federation dissolution, the liquidation is insured by the Members of Executive Board, in duty at the moment of the dissolution. Decision making by the liquidators is at unanimity of votes.

S 26 Minutes

Minutes are drafted for sessions and decisions of the Federation organisms. The minutes are to be countersigned by the Chairman and the person who drafts them.

S 27 Operation of the statutes

These statutes cancel and replace those of 11.3.1988 and will come into operation on 26.6.1994 within the framework of the modification of the statutes decided at the General Assembly which has been held on 24th to 26th June in Zaventem/ Brussels/ Belgium.

Date: 26th June 1994

Signature: Franco Mannato
President of the FISTC

Modifications of the statutes- GENERAL ASSEMBLY- june 5 & 6 2004 - Nova Pec - Czech-republic.

Election of the Executive Board for 3 years instead of 2. (cfr. S 11 and 17)

Actual text S11: The Federation is administered by an Exexutive Board composed with at least 7 persons and at most 9. They are elected for two years and they must, each year, report to the General Assmbly on their activities.

Proposal: ... They are elected for three years and they must, each year, report to the General Assembly on their activities.

Actual text S17: The Executive Board will be composed of Members, they are elected for 2 years.

Proposal: The Executive Board will be composed of Members, they are elected for 3 years.

Actual text S17, point 2: The members of the Executive Board are elected by secret vote for two years.

Proposal: The members of the Executive Board are elected by secret vote for three years.

Actual text S23, point 2: The first financial controller is elected by the Executive Board for two years.

Proposal: The first financial controller is elected by the Executive Board for three years.

The summon of the general assembly and the extraordinary general assembly can also be done by
e-mail. (cfr. S 13, 3)

Actual text S13, point 3: The summoning by the Chairman will take place at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the General Assembly in written form.

Proposal: The summoning by the Chairman will take place at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the General Assembly by e-mail or in written form.

Adding all existing categories in the fundamental principles. (cfr. S 4, 6th point)

Actual text S4, section 6: Maintain the filing according to races categories 1 (Siberian Huskies), 2 (Alaskan Malamutes, Greenland dogs, Samoyedes), as well as all classes O,A,B,C and PH, (SH), PF, (SD), for sport identical filing reasons.

Proposal: ... as well as all classes O,A,B,C,D and Ski-jorring, PH, PF, for sport identical filing reasons.

The agenda was unanimously adopted after the addition of the point of electing also an Animal welfare supervisor. cf. Point 8 elections; inserted between point 6 & 7.