Article 1 Name

The name of the organization shall be "The International Martial Art Games Committee" and the official approved abbreviation is "IMGC".

Article 2 Description

The IMGC is a non-profit association of International Martial Art Federations and organizations contributing to sport and specifically Martial Arts, on educational scientific or technical level, which meets regularly and within which each member retains its autonomy and independence.

Article 3 Objectives

The principal objectives of the IMGC are:

To organize International Games for all Martial Arts sports practiced in the world to provide all martial arts of the world with an opportunity to demonstrate skills and ability through International Martial Arts Games.

To promote friendship and unity, goodwill and cooperation in the field of international martial arts, irrespective of the difference in ideology, sex, religion, race, nationality and martial arts forms.

Other objectives may from time to time be defined by the Executive Board.

Article 4 Headquarters

The Headquarters of the IMGC and the Secretariat locations shall be located in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, unless the Executive Board decides to move the Headquarters to another location.

Article 5 Official Languages

The languages of the IMGC are English and French.

Article 6 Symbols

IMGC shall have such symbols as Emblem, Flag, Anthem and Torch. These symbols shall belong exclusively to IMGC. Their design shall be reviewed by the IMGC Executive Board and ratified by the IMGC Congress.

The IMGC Torch Tower shall be erected in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, homeland of the IMGC initiator. Fire of the Martial Arts Games shall be lighted from the Torch Tower.

Chapter II      MEMBERS

Article 8 The Members

Only the Congress may grant membership. Membership shall only be granted to International Federations governing Martial-Arts sports and to National Martial Art Games Committees.

Article 9 Rights and Obligations of the Members

9.1 A Member shall be obliged to encourage and promote Martial Arts sports. A Member must also make positive efforts for the development of IMGC.

9.2 A Member shall be entitled to participate at all elections, to submit a motion or a recommendation on the work of the IMGC Congress, the Executive Board and the relevant subcommittees.

Article 10 Termination of membership

10.1 A Member can submit its written resignation to the IMGC President or General Secretary at any time.

10.2 A Member shall be expelled from IMGC by the decision of the Congress if it is considered to have harmed the IMGC. In this case the decision must be approved by a majority of 2/3 (two thirds) of the Members present at the Congress.

Chapter III CONGRESS

Article 11 The Congress

11.1 The supreme governing organ of IMGC is the Congress.

11.2 The Congress shall consist of a meeting which shall generally be held every two years and which all Members shall have the right to attend. Each Member can be represented by a maximum of3 (three) delegates.

11.3 The Congress shall have the right, subject to these Statutes and By-Laws appertaining thereto, to do all things relevant to the objects of and approved by and on behalf of IMGC.

Article 12 Rules of Order for the Congress.

12.1 The quorum required for the Congress is half of all Members plus one. Date of regular meeting of the Congress shall be decided by the Executive Board.

12.2 Motions for the Congress Agenda must be sent to the IMGC Secretariat in written form 2 (two) months prior to the date set for the Congress.

Article 13 Extraordinary Congress

13.1 At the request of the Executive Board or upon receipt by the Secretariat of written request from at least 1/3 (one third) of the Members, an Extraordinary Congress may be convened of which a minimum of30 (thirty) day's notification shall be given to the Members.

13.2 The notification shall include the details of the reason for convening the Extraordinary Congress. No business other than specified in the notification shall be conducted at such Extraordinary Congress.

Chapter IV ADMINISTRATION

Article 14 The Executive Board

14.1 The Executive Board shall comprise:

The president, the 5 (five) vice-presidents elected by the Continental Confederations, and 5 (five) members elected by the Congress.

14.2 The Congress shall elect the president and the 5 (five) members for a period of 6 years for the president and 4 years for the other members. The Congress will also confirm the election of the 5 (five) vice-presidents representing the Continental Confederations.

14.3 They are eligible for re-election.

Article 15 Secretary General

The Executive Board may appoint a Secretary General. Unless this person is a Board member, he/she has no voting right..

Article 16 Competence

The Executive Board shall between meetings of the Congress, and subject to the authority of the Congress, and subject to these Constitution and Bye-Laws appertaining thereto, be empowered to act in all matters on behalf of IMGC.

The Executive Board shall meet at least once a year of its period of office.

Between Executive Board meetings and Congress, the president an8 the vice-presidents shall

deal with the current affairs with the Secretary General. They shall be responsible for the day- to day running of IMGC, subject to the authority of the Executive Board and the Congress.

Chapter V       QUORUMS, VOTING, ELECTIONS

Article 17 Quorums

17.1 The quorum for general business of the Congress shall be 50% (fifty per cent) of the Members having voting right.

17.2 The quorum for business entailing changes of these Constitution and Bye-Laws, appertaining hereto, or the suspension or expulsion of Members or the dissolution of the IMGC shall be 2/3 (two thirds) of the Members having voting right.

Article 18 Voting and Elections

18.1 All Members shall have each one vote.

18.2 The voting majorities required are:

a) For resolutions of recommendation to the Members, acceptance of new Members, dissolution, changes in Constitution and Bye-Laws, declaration of principle: 2/3 (two thirds) of voting Members present and voting in favour.

b) For a point of order: more than 500/0 (fifty per cent) of voting Members present and voting in favour.

18.3 For an election:

a) a simple majority

b) The Congress shall adopt decisions by the show of hands. Secret ballot shall be called only when requested by the president or more than 1/3 (one third) of the voting Members.

Chapter VI      RESIGNATION

Article 19 Resignation

19.1 A Member may resign at any time, provided that at the time of resignation the Member has no outstanding liabilities to the IMGC.

19.2 Such resignation shall take effect immediately upon receipt by the Secretary General of a notice of resignation signed by the president of the member and shall be reported to the next Congress.

Chapter VB FINANCES

Article 20 Subscriptions

20.1 All Members of IMGC shall pay an annual subscription. The amount of the subscription shall be decided by each Congress on a proposal from the Executive Board and shall become payable on the next succeeding 1 ^st of January.

20.2 Should a Congress not be held in two or more years, the same subscription as the previous year shall become due on the 1st of January.

20.3 IMGC shall be financially bound, within the limits of the approved budget, by the joint signatures of the president and the 5 vice-presidents.

20.4 Members shall only be financially bound within the limits of their annual subscriptions to IMGC.

20.5 The financial year of the IMGC shall run from the

annually.

Article 21 Accounts Auditing Committee

1st January to the 31st

of December

21.1 The Congress shall elect an Accounts Auditing Committee comprised of representatives from 2 (two) Members of the IMGC who shall not be from the same Member organisations as any of the Officers, and not more than 2 (two) alternates, who shall be eligible to be called upon should either, or both, of the first mentioned representatives be unable to fulfil their functions.

21.2 The Accounts Auditing Committee shall hold office for 2 (two) years and their duties shall commence on the 1^st of January next succeeding their election.

21.3 The Accounts Auditing Committee shall examine the details of the financial state, bank account of the IMGC and working papers of the Secretary General! Treasurer, together with any financial details relating to the Headquarters. They shall give a report to the Congress on the Secretary General! Treasurer Report, Balance Sheet and Accounts.

Chapter VIII                SPECIAL DISPOSITIONS

Article 22 Bye-laws

The Bye-Laws appertaining to these statutes shall come into force when approved by a Congress, and shall not be altered or rescinded unless a subsequent Congress shall decide so.

Article 23 Interpretation

The authority for interpreting any dispute arising out of these Statutes, or the Bye-Laws appertaining thereto, shall reside in the president for the time being, who shall seek the advice of the Executive Board or Congress before taking the final decision.

Article 24 Modification of the Statute

Notwithstanding Article 17 (quorums) these Statutes may only be modified by the Congress or by an Extraordinary Congress convened especially for that purpose.

Article 25 Dissolution

25.1 The intended dissolution of the IMGC shall require an Extraordinary Meeting of the Congress at which the proposed dissolution shall be the sole item on the agenda.

25.2 If upon the dissolution of the IMGC there remains, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to, or distributed among the Members of the IMGC, but shall be applied to the furtherance of any objects of the IMGC as may be determined by the Congress at, or before, the time of dissolution and if, in so far effect cannot be given to the forgoing provisions, then to some charitable object.

BYE-LAWS

Article 1 Members

1.1 International Sports organisations (generally known as International Federations) governing at least one Martial-Art sport.

1.2 National Martial Art Games Committees which have one or more Martial Art organisations of their own country as member and be accredited with a legal status approved by the Executive Board.

Article 2 Role of the Members

2.1 International Sports organisations:

a) Establish the rules concerning the practice of their respective sports and ensure their application

b) Establish their criteria of eligibility to the competitions

c) Assume the responsibility for the technical control and direction of their sports

2.2 National Martial Art Games Committees:

a) Protect and promote Martial-Art in their country

b) Send their national Martial-Art team to the International Martial-Art Games, as well as to regional and continental games controlled by IMGC

c) Select a host city in their country and host the International Martial-Art Games.

Article 3 New Members

3.1 Investigations as to the bona-fides of any applicant organization shall be conducted by the Secretary General under the direction of the president, but no commitment as to the outcome of such application maybe given by any person on behalf of the Congress.

3.2 Applications for membership must be submitted to the Secretary General at least 6 (six) months prior to the commencement date of the Congress at which the application is to be considered, together with:

a) a copy of the constitution

b) the names and addresses of the Executive Committee or other appropriate governing organism other than the Congress or General Assembly

c) details of the last 3 (three) competitions organized by the applicant d) copies of the financial state, balance sheet and accounts

Article 4 Observer Status

4.1 Any organization considering joining the IMGC may be granted the status of "observer" by the Executive Board, for the duration of 1 (one) Congress. This status shall not carry any right to speak except on the invitation of the president or the chairman for the time being.

4.2 Observer status will normally only be granted for l (one) Congress unless the Executive Board finds there are extenuating circumstances and authorises a prolongation of such status.

4.3 An applicant for membership may not be represented in the Congress at which its application for membership is to be decided, whether it has been represented as an observer or not, other to reply to specific questions by invitation until it has been elected as a Member of IMGC.

Article 5 Delegates

5.1 The maximum number of people who may attend any meeting of the Congress is 3 (three) per Member or Member organization, including any interpreters. For the sake of these Bye- Laws all Executive Board members shall be counted in with the other people representing the members to which they belong.

5.2 A delegate of one Member may never vote in the name of any other Member. If specifically requested to do so, a delegate may speak on behalf of another Member only by the invitation of the president or the chairman for the time being.

5.3 All delegates other than the president, chairman or secretary general of the Member shall send to the Secretariat (if time permits) but in any case bring with them a letter of authority, signed by one of the three Officers referred to above.

Article 6 Conduct of Meetings

6.1 Calling notice

6.1.1 All suggestions to modify the Statutes or Bye-Laws of the IMGC should reach the Secretariat so as to be included in the Agenda of the Executive Board meeting, at least 6 (six) months before the date on which the Executive Board meeting will take place. After consideration the Executive Board will pass on the proposal to the members along with its comments at least 3 (three) months before the Congress.

6.1.2 At least 6 (six) months before the date of the Congress, the Secretariat shall send a formal calling notice to all Members which shall contain a request for any items which any Member may wish to have included on the agenda to be sent to the Secretariat within 4 (four) months before the meeting.

6.1.3 At least 3 (three) months before the Congress meets, the Secretariat shall circulate the agenda as prepared by the Officers and/or the Executive Board and including any items referred in paragraph 7.3 of these Bye-Laws.

6.1.4 Any proposals for subsequent amendment of the agenda must be sent in writing to the Secretariat within 1 (one) month before the meeting.

6.1.5 Together with the agenda, the Secretariat shall circulate details of any membership applications and a brief description of and results of any investigations made by the Secretariat. Objections to or reservations held regarding such membership applications must be communicated immediately to the Secretariat together with the reasons for such objection or reservation.

6.2 Presidency

The President shall preside over every meeting of the Congress and the Executive Board. If the President shall be absent or unable or unwilling to preside, then the Congress or the Executive Board as the case may be, shall elect one of their members to preside over the meeting as Chairman for the time being.

6.3 Programme and Agenda

6.3.1 The agenda for the Congress (other than Extraordinary Congress) shall contain the following items:

a) Opening of the meeting

b) President's remarks

c) Adoption of the agenda

d) Roll Call (by the Secretary General)

e) Minutes of the previous meeting

f) Matters arising from these minutes not the agenda

g) Reports

h) Balance sheet and Accounts

i) Accounts Auditing Committee report

j) Budget for forthcoming year

k) New membership applications

I) Elections (as necessary)

m) Decision of date and place of next International Martial Arts Games (IMG)

n) Items presented for information

0) Date and place of next meeting

6.3.2 All items requiring a decision to be made by the IMGC must be in writing in one of the IMGC official languages in the form of a resolution.

Article 7 IMGC Executive Board Constitution Procedure

7.1 The constitution procedure for the IMGC Executive Board shall take place in the following order:

Election of members, to be elected by the Congress, the elections taking place in the following order:

a) individually: 1 (one) President

b) collectively: 5 (five) Members

c) collectively: confirmation of the elections of the 5 (five) vice-presidents

7.2 All nominations for the Executive Board must come from the nominee's own Organization

7.3 Nominations for the President and the 5 (five) Members must be notified in writing to the Secretary General at the latest 48 (forty eight) hours before the beginning of the meeting where the elections are going to take place. The Secretary General will issue a note indicating the deadline to be observed, together with the Congress working papers.

7.4 Nominations, which arrive after the deadline, shall not be taken into consideration.

7.5 A nominee shall simultaneously be a candidate for several positions within the Executive Board; his election to a given position invalidates his applications for the other positions.

7.6 After the deadline for receiving nominations has been reached, the list of nominees for president, 5 (five) vice-presidents and 5 (five) members will be distributed to the delegates at the Congress.

7.7 At the start of the constitution procedure, the Congress will elect 1 (one) steward and 2 (two) scrutinizers, chosen from amongst the delegates who are not nominated for office. They will be in charge of all operations in connection with the elections. The steward reports to the Chairman at the time of his r~ who in turn informs the Congress.

7.8 During the election of the President, the out-going President will, if seeking re-election, surrender the chair to a "Chairman Pro-term", who having been duly elected, will then conduct this election.

7.9 Immediately after the election of the President, the out-going or re-elected President will take the chair and preside over the Congress.

7.10 The newly elected President, Vice-Presidents and Executive Board Members take office after the close of the Congress.

7.11 The voting papers for the collective election of the 5 (five) Vice-Presidents must bear 5 (five) names of different candidates.

7.12 Voting slips bearing more or less than 5 (five) different names shall be invalid.

7.13 The voting papers for the collective election of the 5 (five) Executive Board Members must bear 5 (five) names of different candidates.

7.14 Voting slips bearing more or less than 5 (five) different names shall be invalid.

Article 8 Honorary Members

A retiring President or a retiring Executive Board Member who has rendered services to the IMGC may be granted the title of "Honorary President" or "Honorary Member" respectively, by the Congress on a proposal made by the Executive Board.

Article 9 Notices

9.1 A notice or notification to a Member shall be deemed to have been properly delivered provided it was sent to the last address of which the Member informed the Secretariat.

9.2 Notification regarding suspension, expulsion or dissolution shall always be sent by registered delivery.

Article 10 International Martial Arts Games

10.1 Organization of the International Martial Arts Games

a) Organization of the International Martial Arts Games shall belong to the right of the IMGC.

b) The International Martial Arts Games shall be organized every 2 years.

c) Duration of the International Martial Arts Games shall not exceed 10 days.

d) The International Martial Arts Games shall be hosted by a city authorized by the

  IMGC Congress.

10.2 Selection of Host City

a) IMGC shall have a privilege to make a final selection of a hast city for the

International Martial Arts Games.

b) Only a city, which has won an approval of NMGC in its own country, can apply for hosting of the International Martial Arts Games.

c) A city shall be registered as a candidate for host only when the city authority submit to the IMGC Secretariat an official document whereby he or she pledges that the city will host the International Martial Arts Games in conformity with the IMGC Constitution.

d) The IMGC Secretariat shall submit the relevant information on the registered candidate cities to the IMGC Congress, which win make a final selection by simple majority vote.

e) A host city for the International Martial Arts Games shall be decided 2 years before the opening date of the Games.

10.3 Eligibility for Participation in the International Martial Arts Games

a) Only those groups or individuals belong to NMGC recognized by the IMGC shall be eligible to participate in the International Martial Arts Games.

b) The age of participation shall not be decided by the IMGC. The limit of the age shall be applied to the tournament rules of the international martial art federations.

10.4 Events of the International Martial Arts Games

a) The Programme Committee shall recommend the events of the International Martial Arts Games to the Executive Board to be considered and decided. They shall be approved at the Congress.