FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE

CINEMA TELEVISION SPORTIFS

Organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee

 

EXTRAORDINARY ASSEMBLY OF FICTS

Milan (Italy), November 16th, 2016

FEDERAL STATUTE

CHAPTER I

DENOMINATION – SEAT – DURATION – PURPOSES

Art.1: An International Organization called “FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE CINEMA TELEVISION SPORTIFS – F.I.C.T.S.” has been constituted by the members who accept the present Rules. The official abbreviation of the name of the Federation is FICTS. FICTS was recognized on January 10th 1983 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to which the recognized National Olympic Committees are connected. The National Olympic Committees have the mandate to implement the rules issued by the IOC itself which coordinates them. The legal seat and the operative seat are both in the city where the President actually lives. The seat may be changed but the new seat is to be deliberated in the course of an Extraordinary General Assembly with the majority of 2/3. The official languages adopted by FICTS are: English, French, Italian, Arabic. The Italian language bears witness in case of disagreement or contested interpretation of some rule or article. The organizers of a FICTS event may use the language of the country where it is held. The duration of the Federation is unlimited.

      Art. 2           FICTS is a non profit  Federation. FICTS is open to all organizations and persons of all countries that want to take part in it. It is completely non-political and respects all religions and is antiracist. It guarantees that it doesn’t exist any kind of sexual, racial, religious, politics or other kind of discrimination and it assures the participation of everyone regardless of gender, sex, race, religion, social condition, personal opinions and political beliefs. FICTS guarantees the rights of people with disability. FICTS believes that women are a fundamental element for a profitable development of culture and education. They are key figure in the social dynamics of contemporary society. FICTS encourages and sustains the role of women in sports, at all levels and in all structures, in the light of the principle of non-discrimination between men and women. The rules in force in the International Olympic Committee are valid also for FICTS, mainly for what it concerns flags, national anthems, the election of its managers.

     Art. 3          FICTS believes in the ideal of “Culture through Sport” for the achievement of the sporting ideal and the establishment of its cultural and moral values as a mean towards the development and advancement of the individual and solidarity; it conceives the Olympic and sport values as an instrument of human dignity in the world and a vehicle of growth and people’s harmonious development; it sustains sport independence and autonomy for social development and peace; it promotes the social and cultural meaning of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, blending sport with culture, with the intent to spread a life philosophy, based on educational values and the respect of universal ethical principles  of sports and Olympism. The main purposes of FICTS are as follows:

a – To encourage the values, the Olympism, the ethic and the cultural function of the Sport Movement through television, cinema and new media in order to create a better knowledge of the sport world and of its moral values by the authors, actors, film directors and producers, pressing them for the diffusion of the best quality of the productions of sport images in connection with the “Manifesto of the Culture and Image of Sports”.

b – To pursue the knowledge and the divulgation of sport movies and audio-videos that contribute to develop and to increase the cultural and artistic trends of Television and Cinema.

c – To collect and to encourage the productions which may diffuse the credo of the Olympic Movement, may highlight the ideals and the spirit of it and may increase the value of Olympism, that represents a universal ideal of culture through sport, a great educational tool for social change and for the remarkable growth of young people. For FICTS sport is a “Global Movement at the service of humanity”.

d – To favour the meetings and the collaborations among those who work in a creative way in the sport’s sector through meetings, conferences, debates, congresses and manifestations on the sport Cinematography, Television, Communication and new media and to stimulate also the study, the discussion and the knowledge of the cultural and    creative problems of this two mass media.

e – To provide ways of collaborations and synergistic actions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IOC Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission through the realization of common projects and initiatives between IOC and FICTS, aiming at the promotion and the diffusion of the images and audio-videos patrimony of the Olympic Movement, through FICTS activities also with the collaboration of the Olympic Television Channel.

f – To provide the active involvement of the IOC Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, of the Olympic Study Centre, of the Olympic Museum Network, of the Olympic Television Channel, of the IOC Marketing Department and of all the Departments aiming at realizing a profitable promotion of sport, of Olympism and of its values, through specific projects and initiatives (Research, Exhibitions, Archive, Publications, Contests, Formation, School and Young, etc.).

g – To promote collaboration activities with the IOC through mutual communication actions and with the continuative and official presence of the FICTS in the moments organized by the IOC, (such as Works Meeting, Conventions, Commissions, Information Instruments, etc.).

h – To organize and promote, in agreement and with the support of the FICTS territorial representatives, with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and with the public and private Institutions, the different phases of the Fests of the “World FICTS Challenge”  and the finale phase of Milan.

i – To favour and develop the relationships with the NOC and the other International Federations, the Governments and the Non Governmental Organizations and with organizations having as their goal the promotion of sport. FICTS involves Cultural Organizations (IOA, AICO, CIPC, ISOH, Panathlon, Sports for All, Sports for Peace, Fair Play, etc.) to follow the affirmation of the sport ideals and its moral and cultural values.

l – To collect, order and spread information among its members and to convey to other organizations its points of view and decisions.

m – To realize together with ACNO, ASOIF and Sportaccord a wide net of free distribution of technical – didactic audiovisuals to help and support those countries that have no possibility to promote and spread  the practice of sport as an educational and social need, mainly promoting the concept of “sport for all”.

n – To realize a constant action that involves Sport and School and Universities, in order to promote a positive lifestyle for young people through the educational value and the universal language of sport, offering extracurricular educational and sport alternatives, believing in the integration of sport with its social function. FICTS encourages young people to use their creativity to become creators and consumers of sport contents, including Olympic images (in collaboration with the IOC), through modern technologies and social media. Furthermore, it supports the interaction and sharing of those contents.

o – To promote meetings, interviews, debates, conferences, researches, conventions aiming to favour the promotion of Television and its sport channels in all its different aspects.

p – To promote the creation of the International Academy for Culture through Sport (IACUS), that includes a “Professional Centre to teach the techniques to produce audiovisual supports useful to sport”, elaborating researches, documents, publications, studies, websites and other forms of collaboration to realize projects and initiatives aimed to the promotion of Olympic and Paralympic Culture.

Creating and organizing a specific “Multimedia Archive” collecting:

  • the production realized on summer and winter Olympic and Paralympic Games;
  • productions that may help promote and spread the creed of the Olympic Movement and exalt the Olympic spirit and ideals;
  • the production realized on sport from the silent films to the best sport films realized in every time of the world cinematography.
  1. Operating as “Press Agency” and as “Public Relations” to:
  • support the Festivals of the Circuit privileging works enhancing the Olympic spirit and ideal;
  • spread news concerning the different Sports Cinema and Television and Communication Festivals;
  • facilitate contacts with the Management of the different Festivals and other organizations representing institutional and private cinema-related businesses and sport organizations of every  kind;
  • activate themselves in order to promote, in the field of cinema production, works drawing inspiration from the world of sport;
  • operate in order to obtain the presence of “sports cinema and tv” in the most qualified and prestigious cinema and sport Festivals of the world;
  • support the organization of sports events and festivals mainly in those continents where promoting and encouraging sport is most necessary;
  • promote and help realize International, promotional Campaigns in favour of  Sports Cinema and Television.

CHAPTER II

MEMBERSHIP

Charter Members are the National Olympic Committees represented in the preliminary meeting held in Turin (Italy) in October 1981 and later represented in the Constituent Assembly held in Turin on May 31st and June 1st 1982 by their official delegates as shown in the minute-book of the Assembly.

Art. 4: The associate Members of the Federation fall under the following categories:

1st Honorary Members

2nd Active Members

Art. 5: HONORARY MEMBERS

These are the Organizations, Organisms, Associations and people that are called to participate in the Federation because of their special merits in the development of the cinema and television sports production. The title of Honorary Member may be awarded by the General Assembly (with a majority of two thirds) as a motion of the Board of Directors. Among the Honorary Members the General Assembly may elect an Honorary President who can take part in the meetings of the Assembly, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee entitled to effective vote. The “Excellence Guirlande d’Honneur” is the most important honor of the Federation. The “FICTS Hall of Fame” is established inside the Federation among those awarded with the “Excellence Guirlande d’Honneur”.

Art. 6:  ACTIVE MEMBERS

Those are entitled to vote:

  1. Collective members

These are the National Olympic Committees of the different member countries; the public and private Institutions; the International Sports Federations; the Sports and Cultural Organizations, the Public and privately owned Television networks of any country provided they are officially recognized by the Government of their country; the House of Projections; the Organizing Committees of the Festivals of Sports Cinema; the Advertising Agencies.

  1. Individual members

In order to represent their country inside FICTS, these are the qualified operators who work in the sport, cultural and media world; the members of the Olympic Movement; directors; actors; journalists; writers; athletes; specialists; manager; producers and distributors.

Art.6 bis     All the physical adult people active in the fields of sport, cinema, television and communication, that spread the same aims can demand for the adhesion to the Federation. The request for admission, undersigned by the person concerned in a dedicated form given by the Federation, is disclosed to the Executive Committee.

Art. 7          The number of Honorary and Active Members is unlimited. The Ordinary Assembly, at the proposal of the Board of Directors, decides on the membership fee for the new Members, who must pay the fee only the first year. The amount of the membership fee is subject to periodical index adjustment depending on the economic situations and has to be decided upon by the Board of Directors. The annual membership fee is free for the IOC Members, the Members of the National Olympic Committees, of the International Sports Federations and of the Organizations recognized by IOC; it is also free for the Members in office of the Board of Directors and for the Members already enrolled.

Art. 8          The associated members are entitled to:

1st – participate in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Assemblies eligible to vote

2nd – participate in the events set up by the Federation, in the meetings, fests, trips, etc.

Art. 9          THE FEDERAL BODIES

The Federal Bodies are as follows:

  1. The Ordinary and Extraordinary Assembly
  2. The General Elective Assembly
  3. The Board of Directors
  4. The Executive Committee
  5. The Auditors’ Committee
  6. The Continental Organizations
  7. The Commissions
  8. The Social Prosecutor

Art. 10        THE ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY ASSEMBLY

                  The Ordinary Assembly is convened by the President of FICTS or, if he is absent, by the Vice President or, in his absence, by the oldest member of the Board of Directors. The Assembly is convened by registered letter or by certified mail where the agenda is specified and it is to be sent to all members with the right to vote at least two months before the date stated for the meeting.

Art. 11        The Ordinary Assembly is convened every two years before the end of the second social year (January 1st / December 31st).

Art. 12        The Ordinary and Extraordinary Assembly are convened any time the President of the Federation deems it necessary or upon request of two thirds of the members of the Board of Directors or of one third of the members.

Art. 13        The Ordinary and Extraordinary Assemblies are valid when first convened if the majority of the members is present either personally or by proxy. In case the quorum is not formed, the Assembly is valid when convened for the second time whatever the number or members present. Decision are taken by majority by the Members present with the right to vote.

Art.14       The Ordinary Assembly will deliberate on the following matters:

  • reading and approval of the report of the President;
  • approval of the final balance;
  • different matters on the agenda dealing with the activity of the Federation.

The Assemblies are leaded by the Federal President. The Assembly is expressed by the majority of votes and by public vote. If at least a fifth of the present or represented Members ask for, the vote can be done in secret ballot. In case of a tie, the vote is repeated. The Assembly can not express itself on issues that those written on the agenda. The Honorary General Secretary or in his absence a member of the Board of Directors delegated for this purpose by the President of the Assembly, draws up a verbal process of each session of the Assembly This verbal process is communicated to the Members by certified email and preserved at the social seat, at the Members disposal. The President, if he considers worthwhile, can decide to publish the verbal process, a part or an extract of it, on the website of the Federation.

Art. 15        THE GENERAL ELECTIVE ASSEMBLY

It will be convened every 4 years in the 12 months preceding the Summer Olympic Games.

Collective members (art 6/a) are entitled to 2 votes

Individual members (art.6/b) are entitled to 1 vote

Each country has a maximum of 10 votes at disposal.

During the four years between a General Elective Assembly and the other one and in any case before the 6 months that precede the date of the Congress, if the enrolled Member has not declared in writing his will to resign from the Federation he will remain in office and he will be entitled to vote at the General Elective Assembly. The candidature for the elective offices, underwritten by a minimum of 10 Members, will be deposited in written form to the General Secretariat al least three months before the General Elective Assembly. Over this date any other candidates will not be admitted. Each member could candidate for a single appointment. All the positions of the Governing Bodies, as institutional offices, do not contemplate any payment from the Federation.

Art.16       THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Members of the Board of Directors are elected for 4 years and can be re-elected.

The Board of Directors is made up of 15 members:

  1. the Honorary President
  2. the President of the Federation
  3. the Vice President
  4. the Honorary Secretary General
  5. the Treasurer
  6. the President for Europe
  7. the President for Africa
  8. the President for Arabian Countries and South-West Asia
  9. the President for East Asia
  10. the President for North America
  11. the President for Central and South America
  12. the President for Oceania
  13. the 3 Advisors

All the Members of the Board of Directors are elected by the General Elective Assembly, every 4 years. The elected components remain in office during the four years until the expiry date of their body. The Board of Directors meets at least once a year (including videoconferences). The Board of Directors delegates the Executive Committee to create the Commissions he deems necessary to run the Federation in the best way. The Members of the Board of Directors have the right to vote (1 vote each) at the Ordinary and Extraordinary Assembly.

Art. 17        The tasks of the Board of Directors are as follows:

  1. Realize what has been deliberated by the Ordinary and Extraordinary Assemblies
  2. Define projects and programs of the Federation to be submitted to the Ordinary Assembly
  3. Elaborate possible changes of the Rules to eventually be submitted to the Extraordinary Assembly
  4. Carry out all those initiatives that can allow the Federation to fulfill its social aims
  5. Keep good and constant relations with the Institutions.

Art.18        THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee is made up of:

  1. the President
  2. the Vice President
  3. the Treasurer
  4. the Honorary Secretary General
  5. the Honorary President

Between the meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee shall deal – even through   videoconferences –  with the Federation’s current business, value the administrative situation and be responsible for the day to day operation of the Federation. In order to make federal life easier, the  Executive Committee may take decisions on behalf of the Board of Directors, may deal with all urgent and current matters and may decide on admission or/and suspension or/and exclusion of the new Members to ratify to the next Assembly. The Executive Committee can establish Commissions, can decide their assignment and can nominee external collaborators. Decisions are to be taken by majority among the members of the Executive Committee and be ratified by the Board of Directors during its first meeting after the resolutions adopted. The Executive Committee is convened by the President or upon request of at least half of its components. 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 competences of the components of the Executive Committee are as follows:

  1. the President

The President is responsible for running the Federation he legally represents towards third parties and in trial. The President has full powers of ordinary administration and extraordinary administration, including the possibility to open assets and liabilities and operate with banking institutions. He takes care of the good governance of the Federation, signs the official Acts, convenes and presides over the Ordinary and Extraordinary Assemblies, presides over the Executive Committee. The President, in case of forced absence or in case he is not able to continue his mandate, is substituted by the first Vice President who automatically takes over the Presidency and acts as “ad interim President” during the interim period. The mandate of the President is for one term of four (4) years renewable. After the present Statute becomes law the President, starting from the next term, will be in office for maximum two (2) consecutive terms. However, a third consecutive term is allowed if the outgoing President reaches in the first vote a majority of not less than 55% of the votes validly expressed.

  1. the Treasurer

The Treasurer keeps accounts, books of accounts and approves of the bill of costs and receipts within his prerogatives. Under the authority of the Executive Committee, and subject to the attributions of the Auditors’ Committee, he is responsible for the management and supervision of the FICTS finances and for the maintenance of accurate and up to date financial records. The Treasurer shall visit the Headquarters to perform his responsibilities and he shall require a periodical financial report, prepared by the General Secretariat, for his analysis with a financial report for the members of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer supervises the accounting of FICTS, he elaborates the annual budget that he proposes to the Board of Directors and he takes the necessary measures for the financial management of FICTS.

  1. The Honorary Secretary General

The Honorary Secretary General supervises the correct working of the Federal Secretary, draws up the minutes of the Assemblies, of the Meetings of the Board of Directors, of the Executive Committee; he guarantees the coordination and good working of the Commissions and of the federal activities.

Art.18 bis     THE RESOURCES

Resources of FICTS are composed of:

– membership fees;

– sponsorship;

– public and private contributions, grants, donations and legacies;

– assistance in material and organizational means;

– temporary transfer of staff members from public and privates bodies to the FICTS;

– resources resulting from the promotional campaigns

All financial resources are used to realize the aims and goals of the Federation except for expenses necessary to run the Federation or to constitute reserve funds.

 

Art.19           THE AUDITORS’ COMMITTEE

 The Auditors’ Committee shall be composed of the Treasurer, acting as Chairman, and two other persons

chosen among the FICTS members, who will  have  to:

  1. administratively check and control bills of costs and receipts
  2. examine balance and control if it corresponds to what is written in the books of accounts.

One of the auditors in turn will take part in the meetings of the Board of Directors with a right to consultative vote. The FICTS fiscal year shall be the calendar year January 1st to December 31st.

  Art.20             THE CONTINENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

The worldwide structure of the Federation is realized through continental organisms called “UNION”. Each Union may have the same organizing structures and the same operative offices as the central Federal structure. Each Union can have its own Rules that cannot be opposite to the Rules of the Federation though complying with the different social and environmental situations and, before being operative, they must be approved by the Board of Directors of the Federation. If a Continental Union has not been made yet within the Federation and some countries belonging to that Union are already Members of the Federation, the election of the Continental President will take place during the General Assembly. In case no country of a Continental Union is affiliated to FICTS, the Board of Directors may appoint one of its members to represent that Union. If FICTS has no affiliate in a continent, it will appoint, through the Board of Directors, one of its Members to represent FICTS in that continent.

   Art.21    The International Federation will have to operate so that in each country, by each National Olympic Committee, there may be a “Federation of Sports Cinema and TV” operating in that country that will later have to become a Member of the International Federation.

   Art.22            THE COMMISSIONS

Commissions work for the assertion of FICTS aims and interests and cooperate with the organizations (see Art.6 clause a) to carry out the FICTS principles. They are obliged to observe the FICTS Statute. The Commissions shall make proposals to the Executive Committee. The Commissions are organs of FICTS and may only be established after the approval of the Executive Committee. The members of the Commissions are appointed by the Executive Committee, which is entitled to revoke such appointment at any time. Every Commission should be formed of a minimum of five (5) members. The Commissions shall meet at least once a year preferably on the occasion of major international events, after consulting of the General Secretariat. A member of the Executive Committee will join the meetings. Minutes of the meetings of the Commissions will be sent to the General Secretariat. Activities of the Commissions must be included in the Agenda of the FICTS Assembly. A written report from each Commission shall be presented annually to the Assembly. The Executive Committee retains the right to take any action to assure that all Commissions observe these rules. The privileges of the Federation’s members end when the member resigns, is suspended or is expelled.

THE RESIGNATION

A member may resign at any moment, provided that at the time of resignation the Member doesn’t have outstanding payments. Such resignation shall take effect immediately upon receipt by the Honorary General Secretary of a notice of resignation signed by the President.

THE SUSPENSION

A member association may be suspended from membership, after consulting of the legal Office, by the Executive Committee for the following reasons:

  1. non-payment of any liabilities to AIPS
  2. failure to comply with the provisions of the present Statute.

Suspended member associations may apply to the Board of Directors to have the suspension lifted upon rectifying the transgressions on which the suspension was based.

THE EXPULSION

The expulsion may be adopted for a member whose behavior has caused moral and/or material damages to the Federation. The expulsion is decided, on a proposal of the Executive Committee, after consulting of the legal Office, by the Board of Directors with the majority of two thirds, or upon a written request signed by at least 10% of the associated Members, because of the following reasons:

  1. refusal to pay any liabilities due to FICTS;
  2. refusal to comply with the provisions of these Statute.

The Member concerned is asked in advance to give full explanation. An appeal can be introduced to the Social Prosecutor.

Art. 23      THE SOCIAL PROSECUTOR

The Social Prosecutor is elected by the Ordinary Assembly on the proposal of the Board of Directors. He holds his office for the entire duration of the term with effect from January 1st following the elections and he can be reelected. The Social Procurator judges in first instance on the Members’ actions against disciplinary measures, as well as on appeals against other Members for violation of the principles, in the manner and within the terms provided by the Statute.

CHAPTER III

PARTICULAR DISPOSITIONS:  MODIFICATION AND DISSOLUTION OF THE RUELS

Art. 24   Any modification to the Rules must be approved by the Extraordinary Assembly with a majority of two thirds of the presents. The Members may vote also by correspondence on the modifications to the Rules proposed in the Agenda.

Art. 25  The dissolution of the Federation is to be deliberated by Extraordinary Assembly convened on purpose. There cannot be any dissolution unless it has been voted by three quarters of the members with the right to vote. The Assembly deliberating the dissolution is also to deliberate the destination of the properties of the Federation. After the dissolution, the patrimony of the Federation should be devolved to other associations with the same aim or to public utility aim. The President or an authorized member of the Board of Directors must at short date deposit in Court of Law of the city in which the Federation has its seat all documents related to:

  • amendments to Statute
  • change of the name of the Federation
  • transfer of legal seat
  • changes in the Board of Directors.

The members commit themselves to respect the Statute of FICTS and verify that the decisions made by the Ordinary Assembly and the Board of Directors are carried out. All other business concerning organization, administration and functioning of FICTS not provided for in the present Statute are within the competence of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee.

Art.26           FICTS is fully responsible for the Federation’s obligations by means of its patrimony, with the exclusion of any personal liability of any of its members, bodies and employees. All the rules of the Statute are inspired by transparency, including the  public disclosure requirements like financial and activities reporting. For what concerns the ethics, the ethical rules should refer to the IOC Code of Ethics. These Rules come into force from the day after its approval as they were approved unanimously during today’s meeting of the Assembly held in Milan (Italy) in which there were the quorum of members with the right to vote. For all cases not included in these Rules, the Code of Italian Laws and the Olympic Charter will be applied.

 

Extraordinary Assembly of FICTS

Milan (Italy), November 16th, 2016

The Minute Secretary

Dr Enzo Cappiello

The Assembly President

Prof. Franco Ascani