North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association : Constitution

THE NORTH AMERICAN, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (the Association) has been constituted on 10 December 1988 at the Teatro del Patio in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

2. The Association constitutes one of the six Area Associations of the IAAF.

Rule 2 — Composition of the Association

The Association includes all those National Governing Bodies for athletics within the North and Central American and the Caribbean (NACAC or the Area) that are recognized as Members in good standing by the IAAF.

Rule 3 — Aims

1. To represent the IAAF within the Area and assure that its purposes and its programs are widely disseminated and respected by all its Members.

2. To promote the sport of Athletics and its ethical values as an educational subject and life affirming and life enhancing activity.

3. To encourage participation in Athletics at all levels throughout the Area regardless of age, gender or race.

4. To strive to ensure that no gender, race, religious, political or other kind of unfair discrimination exists, continues to exist, or is allowed to develop in Athletics in any form, and that all may participate in Athletics regardless of their gender, race, religious or political views or any other irrelevant factor.

5. To develop and maintain friendly and loyal cooperation between all its Members for the promotion and development of amateur athletics.

6. To support the IAAF’s objective of promoting fair play in sport, in particular, playing a leading role in the fight against doping both within Athletics and externally in the wider sporting community.

7. To coordinate such activities within the Area as the Congress may designate to the Association and to do so in a manner that respects the jurisdiction of its members and conforms to the Constitutional Rules of the IAAF.

8. To provide its Members with a forum where they may freely express their concerns and seek amicable means to further the development of athletics within their respective countries and throughout the Area.

9. To foster and support the dissemination of technical, medical, logistical, financial, statistical, or other information and material such as will benefit the development of athletics throughout the Area.

10. To decide any dispute that may arise between Members, if called upon to do so.

11. To foster and develop links with other International and Area Federations, National Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations in order to promote the interests of sport in general and Athletics in particular, at all levels throughout the world.

12. To organize and promote Area Championships and any other athletics championships, competition or event the Congress considers would be desirable.

Rule 4 — Congress

1. General Regulations

A. Congresses of the Association, both ordinary and extraordinary, will comprise the members of the Association’s Council and the delegates of the Association.

B. An ordinary Congress will take place every other year in the odd year at a date and place to be announced at least one year in advance.

C. Invitations to attend the Congress will be addressed to the Secretariat of each Member by the Secretary at least 120 days before the date of the Congress. The invitation will be accompanied by a preliminary agenda.

D. Propositions of any kind submitted by Members must reach the Secretary of the Association at least 60 days before the date of the Congress.

E. The final agenda, together with all documentation (reports, accounts, balance sheets, budgets, proposals, etc.) for the Congress will be sent to the Secretariat of each Member, by registered air mail at least 30 days before the date of Congress.

F. The President of the Council of the Association or, in his absence, the Vice President of the Council shall preside at Congress.

G. The Rules of the IAAF applicable to the IAAF Congress shall govern the Congress of the Association.

H. The business of each ordinary Congress shall include the following items:

i. Report of the President

ii. Report of the Area Representative

iii Report of the Treasurer

iv. Approval of the Reports, Accounts, Balance Sheets, etc., for the past two accounting periods.

v. Proposals of the Council

vi. Proposals of Members

vii. Constitutional and technical matters to be considered at, or brought to the attention of, an IAAF Congress Calendar for the following year (s)

viii. Date and place of next Congress

I. The following additional items shall be dealt with at those ordinary congresses which are held in the year of the odd-numbered World Championships.

i. Elections

a. President

b. Vice President

c. Treasurer

d. 4 members of the Council

e. The chairman and members of any permanent Commission that the Congress may decide to establish

f. Area Representative

g. Additional members of the Council, if their election is necessary to assure that no less than 20% of the Council members shall be women

ii. Constitutional amendments

J. Each ordinary Congress will incorporate in its agenda the Area Calendar for the next two years.

K. An extraordinary Congress will be called by the President whenever so requested by ten or more Members or by the Council. Notice of said Congress shall be circularized a at least 60 days prior to the date of the meeting.

2. Delegates qualified to attend Congress

A. Each Member shall have the right to be represented by a maximum of three delegates, who must be affiliated to the Member that they represent. Members must certify the names of their delegates to the Secretary prior to the commencement of the Congress meeting A delegate shall represent only one Member.

B. Only Members who are in good standing with the IAAF and have paid their NACAC subscription for the current year may take part in any Congress.

3. Voting power of Members

Each Member shall have one vote.

4. Quorum

A quorum of any meeting shall comprise 12 Members. Proxy voting is not permitted.

5. Scrutineers

At any Congress where the need arises, three scrutineers will be appointed from among the delegates to determine the result of any ballot.

6. Minutes of Congress

A. The minutes shall be sent to the Secretariat of each Member and to members of the Council by the Secretary within 30 days of the conclusion of the Congress.

B. Any request for correction thereto must be received within 60 days following the issue of the minutes. Any case of dispute arising from the minutes will be decided by the Council.

7. Organization of Congress

A. The Organizing Member is responsible for the technical organization (place of meeting, accommodation, equipment, etc.) of the Congress.

B. The Organizing Member will defray only the expenses of organizing the Congress.

C. Expenses of delegates of Members (including transportation, lodging and incidental costs) will be the responsibility of those Members.

Rule 5 — Votes and Elections

1. Rules for voting

A. All decisions shall be made according to the majority of votes except that amendments to these Rules must obtain two-thirds of the votes cast, and such two-thirds must also represent at least one half of the total membership.

B. In the event of a tie, the proposition will be considered as rejected.

2. Procedure for Elections

A. Elections will be by ballot. Elections will require an absolute majority of the votes cast on the first round and a simple majority on the second round (absolute majority equals half the votes plus one).

B. Votes will not be considered as valid if they include names other than the candidates, contain more or fewer names than the vacant places, or bear any marks permitting the recognition of the voter.

C. After each ballot, the President shall announce the results of the ballot with the number of votes cast. The signed scrutineers’ sheet shall be preserved. The actual ballots shall be destroyed immediately after the closing of the respective meeting of Congress, except where the results are challenged. Any such protest must be made in writing and presented to the President before the close of the respective meeting of Congress.

Rule 6 — Administration of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Association

1. Council

The affairs of the Association shall be overseen by a body to be known as the Council, and shall be presided over by the President.

A. The Council shall consist of:

i. President

ii. Vice President

iii. Treasurer

iv. Area Representative, if that individual has not been elected to one of the above positions

v. Four other members: one from North America (United States of America and Canada), one from Central America, one from the Caribbean and one additional member. For the purposes of this Association, Mexico is considered a part of Central America and Bermuda is considered a part of the Caribbean.

vi. The IAAF President who shall be an ex-officio member of the Council.

vii. Any IAAF Council member from the Area who is not elected to one of the above offices. All such IAAF Council members shall be ex-officio members of the Council.

viii. Any additional members that may be necessary to assure that at least 20% of Council members shall be women. A special vote may be held for this purpose, if necessary.

B. A Secretary shall be appointed by the President. He shall have no vote but shall attend all meetings of the Council and Congress.

C. No two members of the Council shall be from the same Member.

D. A quorum shall comprise four elected members, of whom no less than two shall be officers.

E. The Council shall meet at least once a year and, additionally, when considered necessary by the President or upon the request of a minimum of three members of the Council.

F. Meetings of the Council shall be attended only by members and such additional persons as the President, with the consent of the Council, may invite to attend in a consultative capacity. These latter shall not have the right to vote. In addition, all meetings of the Council shall be attended by the Secretary.

G. The term of office for the Council shall be four years. There is no limit to the number of terms that any individual may serve. Any vacant positions other than the position of an ex officio member shall be temporarily filled by decision of the Council and the Members shall be informed accordingly. At the next ordinary Congress, there shall be an election for the position.

H. Nominations of candidates for election as President, Vice President, Treasurer or Member of the Council must be made by Members and received by the Secretary at least 60 days before the date of the election. If no candidate, or insufficient candidate(s), is/are submitted, nominations may be made from the floor of the Congress.

I. Powers and duties of the Council

i. To oversee all the administrative, technical and financial affairs of the Association.

ii. To maintain relations with the IAAF, with Members of the Association, with other IAAF Area Associations and with other regional groupings within the area.

iii. To appoint the members of temporary or 'ad hoc' Commissions or Counselors, to determine their duties and supervise their activities.

iv. To make preparations for the Congress and the Calendar meetings of the Association.

v. To ensure that decisions made by the IAAF Council and by the Congress of the Association are implemented.

vi. To ratify Area records and maintain a register of such records.

vii. To facilitate and coordinate the establishment and publication of an Area calendar of International Meetings and National Championships to be held within the Area.

viii. In cooperation with the IAAF, to promote a Development Program for the benefit of Members requiring assistance in administration, marketing, anti-doping education, sports medicine, the training of coaches, technical officials, etc.

ix. To decide on dates and venues for Association Championships and other competitions that are directly organized by the Association, to ensure the maintenance of proper standards in the organization of such competitions, to control and supervise the technical organization of such competitions, and to make the necessary appointments, including Technical Delegates, for such competitions.

x. To determine venues for the various activities of the Association.

xi. To determine the location of the Area office.

xii. To make such financial arrangements as are appropriate for the various activities of the Association.

xiii. To sanction international invitation (permit) meetings within the Area, as provided in IAAF Rule 12-1 (f).

xiv. To propose to Congress NACAC Members of Honor and nominees to receive the IAAF Plaque of Merit, both awards being given for meritorious service to the cause of track and field athletics within the Area.

xv. To serve as a vehicle through which IAAF resources may be channeled to the Area for general and specific purposes.

J. It is the duty of Council members to participate in Council meetings whenever possible. Any Council member missing three or more consecutive Council meetings without justifiable reason is liable to sanction, suspension or replacement by Council which fact must be reported without delay to the Members of the Association.

2. Duties and Responsibilities of the President

The President shall:

A. Be responsible for ensuring that all decisions taken by the Congress or the Council of the Association are carried out.

B. Take any necessary decisions on matters which may arise between meetings of the Council of the Association. Such decisions, as well as all other important actions, shall be reported at the earliest possible moment to the other Council members and to the next Congress of the Association.

C. Be responsible for the preparation of reports for the Congress.

D. Create any task force or working group he/she may deem necessary or advisable to address any urgent situation.

E. Be responsible, as the principal elected officer of the Association, for the oversight of the operations of the Association Office and, where appropriate, take such measures as he/she may deem necessary for the proper administration of the Association. He shall periodically report to the Council in this regard.

3. Duties of the Vice-President

The Vice-President shall occupy an honorary position and, in the absence of the President, shall preside at all meetings of the Council. In addition, the Vice-President may represent the President when so requested. In all other respects, the Vice President shall have equal rights with other members of the Council.

4. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial administration of the Association and specifically for:

A. Giving effect to the decisions of the Council (or of the President acting on its behalf) in regard to financial matters.

B. Keeping the accounting records, controlling the banking operations accounts and producing an annual balance sheet.

C. Providing, for the two following financial years, a budget of revenues and expenditures in general of the Association for approval by the Congress.

D. Controlling the receipts and payments relating to all the activities of the Association. Any person who may be specifically designated by the Council to act as Treasurer in respect of a particular activity must render his detailed accounts and balance sheet to the Treasurer not later than two months after the conclusion of the event.

Rule 7 — Languages

1. The official languages of the Association shall be English and Spanish.

2. During the meetings of the Association’s Congress, each delegate may express himself in either of the two official languages of the Association. Whenever possible, simultaneous translation will be made into these two languages.

3. The rules, minutes, reports and other communications will be expressed in the official languages of the Association. In all cases of any difference in the interpretation of the text, the English version shall be accepted.

Rule 8 — Members of Honor

The Congress shall have the power, on the proposal of the Council, to nominate as NACAC Members of Honor, persons who have given distinguished service in the cause of Athletics in the Area. See also Rule 6.1.I.xiv.

Rule 9 – Amendments to the Constitution

1. Amendments to the Constitution may be made at any Congress. Only the Congress shall be entitled to amend the Constitution.

2. A proposal to amend the Constitution, unless it is proposed by the Council, must be submitted to the Secretary by a Member at least six months prior to the Congress at which it is to be considered. All such proposals shall be sent by the Secretary to the members at least three months before the Congress.

3. To be accepted, any proposal to amend the Constitution must be approved by two thirds of the valid votes cast, and such two-thirds must include at least half of the Members in good standing of the Association.

Rule 10 — Other matters

Any matter not provided for in the IAAF Rules or in these present Rules shall be settled by the Council and subsequently reported to the next Congress.