Statutes of W.G.K.F.

Article 1:          General Rules

1. The World Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation, hereafter referred as W.G.K.F. is a permanent organisation, founded in the year of 2003 by the European Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation;.

2. The W.G.K.F. shall be based in the city of the elected President.

3. The W.G.K.F. has nothing to do with matters pertaining to politics, religion or race, and is a non profit organisation.

4. The official language of W.G.K.F. is English.

5. W.G.K.F. has the aim of promoting, organising, regulating and popularising Goju-Ryu Karate-Do. To fulfil our purposes, W.G.K.F. will follow the line, rules and goals established by the World Karate Federation (WKF).

6. In order to achieve its purposes W.G.K.F. will:

1. Held tournaments for Cadets & Juniors and Seniors;
2. Promote the improvement of Goju-Ryu techniques;
3. Promote courses for leaders, trainers and referees;
4. Held Congresses and Conferences;
5. Promote Dan classes and technical seminars;
6. Print publications or magazines;
   1. Seek recognition, as style federation, within the World Karate Federation;
7. Others for the success of its purposes.

Article 2:          Economic Resources

1. The W.G.K.F. shall pursue its institutional goals by means of revenues deriving from membership yearly fees, courses and exams fees, the issue of licences and diplomas, bequests and donations, and any other form of income providing it has been approved by the Directing Committee.

2. The accounting period adopted by the W.G.K.F. shall coincide with the calendar year (1st January/31st December).

3. The budget and the final balance-sheet, approved by the Directing Committee, and the report of the Auditors, must be approved by the Congress.

Article 3:          Affiliation

1. Members can be those National Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federations, Associations, Unions or Groups who support the objectives in article 1.
2. Only one National group per country is allowed, namely the one recognised by the National Karate Federation or by the Highest Sport Authority of that country.
3. Affiliation shall be considered provisional when it has been accepted by the Directing Committee. Affiliation shall be considered permanent when it has been ratified by the Congress. Provisionally affiliated National groups shall enjoy all rights excepting voting rights.

Article 4: Rights and duties of members

1. Members are entitled to:

a) Participate in Congresses in accordance with statutory norms and rules.

b) Participate in official competitions in accordance whit specific competition rules.

c) Enjoy the advantages and benefits provided by the W.G.K.F..

2. Under the penalty of suspension or expulsion from all international activity, it is the duty of affiliated member to renew each year its membership in accordance with the terms and conditions as set forth by the Congress;

3. Affiliated members may only be expelled from the W.G.K.F. through a Congress decision approved with a 2/3 majority, providing they represent at least half plus one of all affiliated members entitled to vote.

Article 5: Acceptance and obligations 

1. All members affiliated to the W.G.K.F. shall undertake to comply with statutes, rules and all provisions issued by the Congress and Directing Committee.

2. Members shall undertake to work with the utmost loyalty and rectitude in complete compliance with rules governing the sport.

3. Any member in break of the conditions as per points 1) and 2) above shall be liable to disciplinary action as set forth herein.

Article 6: W.G.K.F. Organs

The organs of W.G.K.F. are:

a) The Congress;

b)The Directing Committee:

c) The Auditors;

d)The Permanent Committees.

Article 7: The Congress

1. The Congress is the supreme organ of the W.G.K.F., being given deliberative powers. It shall decide only on matters included in the agenda when it is convened.

2. The following are entitled to take part in the Congress:

a) Affiliated Members in possession of voting rights;

b) The Directing Committee;

c) The Auditors;

d) The Committees;

e) The Honorary President(s).

3. The Congress shall be chaired by the W.G.K.F. President or, in his absence, by one of the Vice Presidents.

4. The Congress shall meet every two years (???) on the occasion of the Senior European Championships in the city where these take place.

5. Each member may be represented by up 2 (two) persons. If needed each member may also have his own interpreter.

6. Every four years the Congress shall elect the Directing Committee, the Auditors, the Committees.

Article 8: The Directing Committee

1. The Directing Committee shall be composed of the following officials:
2. The President;
3. The 5 Vice Presidents (one for each Continental Federation);
4. The Secretary-general;
5. The Treasurer.
6. The Directing Committee shall be in power for a four-year term of office, and may be re-elected indefinitely.
7. The Directing Committee shall direct and administer W.G.K.F. activity, draw up programmes in accordance with the directives approved by the Congress and see that they are enacted in order to achieve institutional goals.

Article 9: The President

1. The President shall represent the W.G.K.F. in all the international Organisations and in any relations with outside parties.
2. He shall be responsible for running the W.G.K.F. and answer to the Congress, the Directing Committee and other Committees.
3. He shall convene and chair the Directing Committee.
4. He shall convene and chair the Congress.
5. In the event of a temporary absence, the President may delegate some of all his powers to one of the Vice-Presidents.

Article 10:. The Vice Presidents

1. The Vice President shall provide the President with assistance for all his functions and shall replace him upon the occasions as set forth herein in accordance with the relative procedures.
2. The President may assign special tasks to the Vice President.
3. Each one shall be responsible for the organisation of his own Continental Federation, except in the case the President of W.G.K.F. is also the President of Continental Federation.

Article 11: The General Secretary

The General Secretary is in charge of the secretariat work and relations with the members, as well as third parties and shall assist both President and Vice Presidents.

Article 12: The Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for the budget, final balance sheet and administration of the funds.

Article 13: The Auditors

1. Two members appointed by the Directing Committee shall be elected for a four years term by the Congress.
2. The Auditors shall audit the accounts of W.G.K.F. every end of the year.
3. The Auditors must be invited to report to the Congress.

Article 14: Permanent Committees

In order to full fill its tasks W.G.K.F. can create the needed Permanent Committees, as long as they are approved by the Congress. Those Committees shall be ruled by their own regulations.

Article 15: Rules and regulations

1. In accordance with the aims of the W.G.K.F., the Directing Committee shall approve and ammend Rules and Regulations.

2. The Permanent Committees as per Art. 14 above shall help to prepare the Rules and Regulations in their own sphere of action.

3. All Rules and Regulations must be in accordance with the herein statutes.

Article 16: Honorary President and Honorary Members

1. Based upon a proposal of the Directing Committee, the Congress shall elect the Honorary President and Honorary Members by acclamation. They shall be chosen among members of the W.G.K.F. who, with selfless commitment, have made a significant contribution to the spread of Goju-Ryu Karate-Do in the World and acquired special merits within the W.G.K.F..

2. The Honorary President is entitled to attend, without voting rights, Congress and Directing Committee meetings.

Article 17: Official commendation

Those who had done distinguished services to W.G.K.F. should be commended by the Directing Committee.

Article 18: Ammendments to the Statutes

1. Proposals to amend the Statutes may be put forward by the Directing Committee or by the members having voting rights. In this last case they should be presented by at least half plus one of all affiliated members having voting rights.
2. Proposals to amend the Statutes must be approved by at least 2/3 (two thirds) of the members at the Congress.

Article 19: Dissolution

1. The proposal to dissolve the W.G.K.F. must be presented by at least 2/3 (two thirds) of members having voting rights.

2. The Directing Committee shall then call the relative Extraordinary Congress in compliance with the procedures as set forth herein.

3. The proposal to dissolve the W.G.K.F. must be approved at the Extraordinary Congress by at least 4/5 (four-fifths) of affiliated members having voting rights.

4. Should the W.G.K.F. be dissolved, its assets must be divided among affiliated members having voting rights in proportion to the number of years that each Federation has been affiliated.

Article 20: Final provision

The present statutes will be effective after approved at the Congress.