WOF Council & committees

WOF Statutes

World Othello Federation Statutes

Approved by the World Othello Federation Annual General Meeting, November 7th 2020

Chapter 1 - Basic provisions for World Othello Federation

§ 1-1 Mission

The World Othello Federation (WOF) is the international governing body for the game of Othello. The organization’s top authority is the WOF Annual General Meeting.

The purpose of the WOF is to promote the game of Othello around the world. The WOF has the exclusive rights for organization of the World Othello Championships (WOC) and also have the rights to use the Othello trademark for tournaments, events, books, media and promotions.

§ 1-2 Organization

The WOF is a non-profit organization and oversees all the affiliated national Othello federations throughout the world.

§ 1-3 Governance

The WOF’s decision-making body is made up of the Head Council, the Annual General Meeting and the extraordinary Annual Meeting. The working language of WOF is English.

§ 1-4 Operational planning

The WOF’s operations and objectives cover yearly periods that starts on September 1st and finish on August 30th the following year.

§ 1-5 Proposals for changes in WOF statutes

Proposals for changes in WOF statutes and liquidation of WOF should be submitted by writing according to the regulation in § 5-5 Proposals.

§ 1-6 Quorum

The approval of a WOF statute amendment requires at least two thirds of the votes at an Annual General Meeting. Liquidation of the WOF requires at least two thirds of the votes at two consecutive Annual General Meetings.

§ 1-7 Regulations and guidelines

The WOF Council has the right to issue regulations and guidelines based on the WOF statutes. The WOF Council also has the right to issue instructions to ensure the application of the statute.

Chapter 2 - General provisions for the World Othello Federation

§ 2-1 Eligibility to the WOF council and committees

Candidates to the councils and committees elected by the WOF, the WOF Confederations or National Federations should already be members of a National Federation affiliated to the WOF.

Employees at the WOF, WOF Confederations or National Federations are not eligible as auditor or member of an election commitee in theWOF, WOF Confederations or National Federations.

§ 2-2 Decisions and voting

Decisions shall be approved by a simple majority of the votes delivered, unless the statutes indicate otherwise.

Decisions shall be made by open vote, unless one or more of the delegates requests a secret ballot.

In the case of tie votes the final decision is determined by the chairman’s vote when he/she is allowed to vote. If the chairman is not allowed to vote, the decision is made by drawing lots.

For elections, in the case of tie votes the final decision is made by drawing lots.

§ 2-3 Composition of council etc.

Composition of councils and committees should seek to achieve equilibrium between the sexes.

§ 2-4 Acceding members

Councils and committees in WOF are allowed to designate acceding members to the council. Acceding members are allowed to speak and give proposals, but are not allowed to vote.

§ 2-5 Access to activities in WOF member federations

Members of WOF head council and WOF Judge Committee should be given entry to all tournaments, demonstrations and meetings arranged by WOF member federations.

Chapter 3 - Membership

§ 3-1 Membership

The WOF recognises two types of membership, National Federations and Associated members.

§ 3-2 National Federations

A national federation is a group of people gathered to practice and spread the practice of Othello within their country. This group must be the only one in a country with this purpose and should represent all the Othello players in this country.

To be recognized as a National Federation of WOF, the federation should:

  1. Have a legal elected board with at least 3 members
  2. Arrange National Championship annually
  3. Send results of official tournaments to WOF rating committee
  4. Each year by February 15th send an annual report on a pre-defined format to WOF
  5. In the association's name, publications and events only use the Othello trademark.
  6. Comply with rules and statutes established by WOF

National Federations are allowed to:

  1. Participate and vote at WOF Annual General Meeting
  2. Send proposals to WOF Annual General Meeting
  3. Send a team to the WOC
  4. Use the Othello trademark for tournaments, events, books, media and promotions

§ 3-3 Associated members

Countries that do not fulfil the requirements to be recognised as National Federations of WOF might be an associated member of WOF.

To be recognized as an Associated Member of WOF, the country should:

  1. Have a designated contact person
  2. Respond to inquiries from WOF
  3. Organize anyone from the country interested in the practice of Othello
  4. Comply with rules and statutes established by WOF

Associated Members are allowed to:

  1. Participate without the right to vote at WOF Annual General Meeting
  2. Get possibility to send players to WOC.
  3. Use the Othello trademark for tournaments, events, books, media and promotions

§ 3-4 Request for membership

Countries that want to be recognized as National Federation or Associated member of WOF should send a request to WOF with necessary documentation. If necessary, WOF can ask for additional documentation or observe the activity in the country for a period. WOF head council determines if the membership should be granted or if the country should get a trial membership for a period. The decision may be appealed to the WOF Annual General Meeting.

§ 3-5 Loss of membership

A country that no longer complies with the requirements to be recognized as either a National Federation or an Associated member can lose their membership. A National Federation which loses its membership might be recognized as an Associated member. If WOF head council wants to withdraw a membership, the country should be given a period with a deadline to comply with the requirements. After this period, the WOF council decide whether the country should lose its membership or not.

Chapter 4 - Confederations

§ 4-1 Confederations

WOF organize its members in different confederations, where each confederation consists of the WOF members in a specific geographical area.

§ 4-2 Purpose of a confederation

Through its representative in the WOF council the confederation should work to the benefit of the members in the area, like

  • Be a contact between WOF and the members in the confederation
  • Organize Confederation Championships or Grand Prix
  • Spread knowledge about Othello in new countries
  • Help new countries to become members of WOF

§ 4-3 Confederation council and annual meeting

Each confederation should elect its chairman which also will be the confederation’s representative for the WOF council. In addition to the chairman, the confederation elects 2-4 persons for its council.

The election of the council should be done at an annual meeting organized either just before or right after the WOF Annual General Meeting. If appropriate, the confederation annual meeting can be organized by e-mail. Only WOF National Federations are allowed to vote at the confederation annual meeting.

Chapter 5 - WOF Annual General Meeting

§ 5-1 Composition and quorum

The WOF Annual General Meeting is held every year before the end of November. The WOF head council will decide the time and venue for the Annual General Meeting.

The WOF Annual General Meeting includes representatives from National Federations according to the regulations in § 5-2 Allocation of votes.

A legally convened meeting has a quorum based on the delegates attending the meeting.

§ 5-2 Allocation of votes

Representatives from National Federations get one vote each. In addition, they are allowed to achieve extra votes:

  1. 1 extra vote for National Federations with 101-500 registered members
  2. 2 extra votes for national Federations with more than 500 registered membes

Representatives from Associated members are not allowed to vote at the annual meeting, but they are allowed to speak.

Members of WOF head council have 1 vote each at the annual meeting, but WOF head council members are not allowed to vote both as WOF head council member and National Federation representative.

§ 5-3 Assigning a proxy

National Federations are allowed to assign a proxy to a delegate of another federation. Each delegate is allowed to represent, besides their own, only one additional federation.

The WOF should be informed of the assignment of proxies at least 1 week prior to the meeting, unless the WOF head council decides otherwise. Members of the WOF head council are not allowed to be assigned a proxy.

§ 5-4 Notice

The WOF Head Council should announce the dates of the Annual General Meeting with at least two months’ notice. Four weeks before the meeting the agenda together with operational and management reports should be sent to the National Federations and the WOF’s auditors.

§ 5-5 Proposals FOR discussions

Written proposals for the annual meeting should be sent to the WOF no later than before four weeks before the annual meeting is held.

National Federations and their members have the right to present proposals for discussions. The proposals should be presented at the annual meeting. The annual meeting discuss the proposals and refers them to the WOF council, or the committees that are responsible.

§ 5-6 Committee Eligibility

Board members of the WOF Head council, National Federations or Confederations are not eligible as auditors.

Board members of the WOF Head council are not eligible as members of the election committee.

Eligibility of employees are defined in § 2-1 Eligibility to the WOF council and committees.

§ 5-7 Nomination of candidates

National Federations should send the names of candidates according to § 5-8 Agenda for WOF annual meeting no 7, to the election committee no later than September 1st of the year the annual meeting is held.

§ 5-8 Agenda for WOF annual meeting

The WOF President opens the annual meeting. If he is absent, the meeting is opened by another board member of WOF Head council.

The agenda should include the following:

  1. Registration of representatives and allocation of votes
  2. Election of meeting officials
    1. Moderator
    2. Secretary
    3. 2 persons to sign the meeting minutes
  3. Decision
    1. The representatives at the meeting should decide if the meeting is called according to the statutes
  4. Determining the agenda for the meeting
  5. Review of
    1. operational and management report
    2. audit report
  6. Discussions of proposals from WOF Head Council and other proposals according to § 5-5 Proposals.
  7. Every second year
    1. Election of WOF President for 2 years
    2. Election of 3 WOF Head Council board members for 2 years
    3. Confirmation of election of confederations chairmen for 2 years
    4. Election of auditor for 2 years with personal supersedes, aiming to audit the accounting and business according to § 7-1 Auditing
    5. Election of chairman and 2 members to the election committee for 2 years

§ 5-9 Right to expression and to submit proposals

At the Annual General Meeting only the representatives from the National Federations, members of the WOF Head Council and WOF’s President have the right to expression during the meeting and to submit proposals.

Chairman and board members of the election committee have the right to expression when their proposals are discussed.

Auditors have the right to expression, and in addition the annual meeting might allow other persons to express their opinions if required.

§ 5-10 Election committee

The election committee is elected during the Annual General Meeting.

The election committee consists of a chairman and two board members.

Before August 1st of the year the Annual General Meeting is held the election committee should ask the WOF members whose mandate period expires, if they want to be a candidate for the following period. Before August 15th the election committee should inform the National Federations about those members who no longer wish to be a candidate for the following period.

No later than four weeks before the annual general meeting, the election committee should inform the National Federations about the committee’s recommendations for candidates according § 5-8 Agenda for WOF annual meeting no 7, and also inform which other persons have been suggested to be candidates.

The election committee should keep itself informed of activity in the boards it proposes candidates for.

Information that the committee has had access to through their work should be kept confidential.

§ 5-11 Extraordinary annual meeting

The WOF head council may organize an extraordinary annual meeting.

The WOF head council is obliged to convene an extraordinary annual meeting when demanded by the auditor or at least 10 National Federations.

§ 5-12 Entry into force

Decisions made by WOF Annual General Meeting and extraordinary annual meeting apply from the end of the meeting.

Chapter 6 - WOF Head Council

§ 6-1 Composition and quorum

The WOF Head Council is WOF’s highest authority in the period between the annual meetings.

The WOF Head Council consists of a 4 board members elected by the annual meeting. The annual meeting elect the WOF President, the Secretary, the Cashier and a the member from the Team Othello.
In addition, the chairmen of the Confederations are members of the WOF council.

The WOF Head Council forms a quorum when all members have been called to a meeting at least 5 days in advance, and when at least 3 members attend. The meeting might be organized by personal attendance, by mail or in another suitable way. In urgent situations, meetings might be called at with shorter notice than 5 days.

§ 6-2 Liability and obligations

The WOF Head Council should:

  1. Implement decisions from the Annual meeting
  2. Issue an operational and management report including financial statements every year, and make it available for Member federations and the auditor
  3. Prepare the agenda and all issues for the Annual Meeting
  4. Decide the time and venue for the Annual Meeting, and send invitations for the meeting according to § 5-4 Notice.
  5. Advise National Federations in their application for membership in WOF
  6. Handle everyday tasks and activities, and other matters arising from the WOF Statutes

The WOF Head Council is entitled to:

  1. Appoint WOF representatives to the boards and other organizations where WOF is represented
  2. Establish WOF committees according to Chapter 8
  3. Review the Annual Report from National Federations
  4. Review National Federations’ statutes and tournament rules, and make sure they are in accordance with WOF’s statutes, principles and basic values

§ 6-3 Supervision

WOF Head Council is entitled to supervise the activity in National Federations and the Confederations.

§ 6-4 Delegation

WOF Head Council can delegate its authority to organizations within WOF, a WOF Council board member or other members and employees in WOF.

 

Chapter 7 - Auditing

§ 7-1 Auditing

WOF’s accounting and management should be audited by the auditor elected by WOF Annual General Meeting. The auditor should send his audit report to WOF council by October 1st each year. The audit report should be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting.

Chapter 8 WOF committees

§ 8-1 WOF committees

The WOF council has the mandate to establish WOF committees with objectives to handle special issues on behalf of WOF council. The committees might be temporary or permanent.

§ 8-2 Committees members

The WOF council is responsible for appointing members to WOF committees.

The WOF council should before the end of each year review the memberships of the various committees and may substitute up to half of the members at a time. The WOF council appoints the chairperson of each committee for two years at a time, while committees constitute itself yearly by electing treasurer, secretary and other relevant functions.

§ 8-3 Terms of Reference

WOF council should define Terms of Reference (TOR) for each committee. Any changes of TOR should be discussed with the committee.

§ 8-4 Cooperation and communication with WOF council

The WOF council should appoint a council member as main contact person for each committee.

The committees should send a status report to WOF council before the WOF annual meeting. By the end of January the committees should send an activity and budget proposal for the next year's activity. By the end of February the WOF council should arrange an individual meeting with the committees to discuss and decide the proposals.