1. Name
The Faroe Islands Aquatics Federation (Svimjisamband Føroya), abbreviated SSF.
2. Purpose
TO further and promote swimming as a sport, to improve public health and foster lifesaving capacity, as well as to establish competence requirements for life-saving and safety in relation to swimming.
TO foster unity and promote cooperation and well-being in Faroese swimming as a sport and amongst all its participants.
TO work to enable everyone to engage in swimming as a sport in a safe environment.
TO develop swimming as a sport and to give every individual the opportunity to participate in swimming as a sport at their level and to their ability, so that everyone can take part.
3. Highest authority
SSF is the highest authority in all matters related to swimming.
4. Members
Clubs that engage in swimming as a sport are required to join SSF.
Membership applications must be submitted to SSF in writing. The Executive Board of SSF will decide whether a club may join. In case of refusal of membership, the club may submit the matter of membership to the earliest General Assembly.
Any withdrawals of membership must also be submitted in writing by the club to SSF.
For all other particulars, please refer to the Constitution and Articles of Association of the Faroese Confederation of Sports & Olympic Committee (FCSOC),
5. Members’ duties
The clubs have a duty to:
a) abide by SSF’s Statutes and any rules or regulations it issues.
b) to the extent possible, assist SSF when necessary.
c) inform SSF in writing of and be granted permission to participate in swimming competitions or training camps abroad.
d) submit the results of any swimming competitions abroad to SSF no later than 14 days after returning to the Faroe Islands.
e) notify SSF of any visits from swimming clubs in other countries and obtain permission to arrange competitions against foreign swimming clubs.
6. Membership
SSF is a member of FCSOC and the President of the Executive Board represents SSF at the FCSOC Chair’s Meeting. SSF represents the Faroe Islands in global and international federations. SSF is a member of the Nordic Swimming Federation NSF, European Aquatics, and World Aquatics, and must ensure compliance with their statutes, rules, and regulations. SSF is a corresponding member of the International Life Saving Federation of Europe, ILSE, and the International Life Saving Federation ILS.
7. Governance
The Faroe Islands Aquatics Federation is governed by its:
1. Annual General Assembly
2. The Executive Board
3. Other Committees
8. Annual General Assembly
The highest authority of SSF is the Annual General Assembly (AGA), which is held in March/April. The AGA shall be convened by written notification to the member clubs and on SSF’s official website 60 days before the scheduled date of the meeting.
The AGA agenda shall be as follows:
1. Election of AGA chair.
2. Annual report on the Federations’s activities in the previous year presented by the President of the Executive Board.
3. Approval of the President’s Annual Report.
4. The Treasurer presents the audited financial statements.
5. Approval of the annual financial statements.
6. The President presents the financial budget for this fiscal year
7. Approval of the financial budget
8. Matters submitted for discussion.
9. Fixing of the annual membership fee.
10. Election of members and substitutes.
11. Any other Business.
Quorum
The AGA is quorate when more than half of the member clubs are present at the AGA.
Matters submitted for discussion
Any proposal seeking an amendment to these Statutes or Articles of the Federation, as well as other issues regarding the organisation and management of the Federation that require review by the membership at the AGA, shall be submitted to the Executive Board no later than two (2) weeks before the date of the AGA.
Proposals may be submitted to the AGA by SSF members, the Executive Board of SSF, FCSOC’s Executive Committee, or the auditor, all of which have the right to address the AGA.
Any proposals submitted must be included on the agenda. Matters that are not on the agenda may only be discussed if 2/3 of the votes at the AGA are in favour of discussing them.
Election of committee members and substitutes
Nominations for membership of the Executive Board must be submitted to the Executive Board two (2) weeks before the AGA.
Notification of agenda and other particulars
The meeting agenda, any proposed amendments to these Statutes or Articles of the Federation, other matters submitted for discussion, as well as nominations for Executive Board membership must be sent to the membership no later than eight (8) days before the AGA.
Right of attendance
Each club may send three (3) representatives to the AGA.
No one may represent a swimming club at the AGA unless he or she has been a member of that club for at least one month, has paid the respective dues, and satisfies all other membership requirements. The Executive Board, the Technical Swimming Committee and other committees established by the Executive Board, three representatives of the FCSOC Executive Committee, the Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes, and the auditor of SSF have the right to participate in the AGA. The Executive Board may, if it is deemed necessary, invite individuals from outside SSF to participate in the AGA with or without the right to address the AGA.
Voting rights
Each member club is entitled to one vote with these terms as set in World Aquatics BL9:4:
a) they shall have a minimum of 10 affiliated athletes;
b) they shall participate in national championships and other national Aquatics competitions recognised and/or organised by SSF;
c) they shall pay their annual membership fee set by SSF and comply with all other financial obligations;
d) they shall fully comply with the rules enshrined in World Aquatics Constitution, notably complying with and implementing decisions taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, by World Aquatics (notably taken by the Congress, the Bureau, the Executive, or/and judicial panels) and SSF, as well as supporting World Aquatics and SSF in their efforts to achieve their objectives.
Voting procedures
Voting may take place either orally or in writing. If one or more of those with a right to vote so desires, voting shall be conducted in writing. A simple majority of those present at the AGA with the right to vote is required to approve recommendations submitted to the AGA.
Extraordinary General Assemblies
Extraordinary meetings (EGA) shall be convened if the Executive Board or one-half of the clubs represented in SSF request an EGA in writing. EGAs shall be convened with at least fourteen (14) days’ notice.
9. The Executive Board
The Executive Board comprises a president, vice-president, secretary and two members. Each member is elected individually at the AGA for a two-year term. The president and two members are elected even years, while the vice-president and the secretary are elected in odd years. From 2022, an Executive Board member can at a maximum be elected for six terms, corresponding with 12 years, plus a maximum of six terms as president, corresponding with 12 more years or a maximum of 24 years in total.
Gender equality is supposed to be in the Executive Board of SSF, at 70/30 from 2025 and 60/40 from 2026.
A substitute member will be elected for a one-year term. In the event that a substitute joins the Executive Board during the year, the Executive Board may reorganise itself, however, the election held during the subsequent AGA shall be conducted as if there were no reorganisation of the Executive Board. The substitute member is not to be counted as an Executive Board member, except for when the substitute member has replaced a named member of the Executive Board.
In addition the chairman of the athletes’ committee gets a seat as an ordinary member of the Executive Board.
Retirement age: An Executive Board member and/or chairman can at a maximum be 80 years old.
The Executive Board is responsible for all financial and administrative matters of SSF. The AGA shall approve the purchase or sale of any real property.
The members of the Executive Board may receive remuneration or compensation for loss of earnings for their administrative work. The Executive Board makes the decision on whether such compensation should be given.
The Executive Board shall draw up a proposal for regulations for the compensation, which then shall be submitted to the Annual General Assembly for approval, and the Executive Board shall be responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Regulations are complied with.
The Executive Board may hire people for wages.
The Executive Board shall submit an annual report on SSF’s activities to FCSOC.
The Executive Board shall decide whether to award medals or prizes.
10. Other committees
The Executive Board has the authority to establish other committees to handle tasks within the Federation. The Executive Board has the authority to appoint new individuals to these committees when needed. The Executive Board shall determine the number comprising each committee. All committees operate subject to the oversight and authorisation of the Executive Board. Moreover, all committee operational rules and regulations are subject to the Executive Board’s approval.
Technical Swimming Committee and Competition Committee
The Executive Board shall appoint two committees to take charge of all matters related to competitions authorised by SSF, including National Championships. The Executive Board shall establish a Technical Swimming Committee and a Competition Committee, which shall organise the logistical aspects of the competition.
The Technical Swimming Committee is made up of at least 3 members.
The Technical Swimming Committee is responsible for all regulatory matters, such as:
a) appointing referees for competitions,
b) checking letters of invitation,
c) checking competition programmes,
d) overseeing that competition rules are enforced before and during competitions,
e) reviewing any complaints regarding technical or regulatory matters submitted during and immediately after competitions, before the complaint is forward to the Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes, according to the stipulated deadlines for appeal,
f) enforcing the rules and regulations issued by SSF, European Aquatics and World Aquatics in all matters relating to competitions.
3. The Technical Swimming Committee may draw up rules of procedure for its membership and activities, which will be subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
4. The Competition Committee is the club hosting an SSF approved competition, or the home pool club during an SSF Championship Meet. The Competition Committee is responsible for organising all the logistical aspects of preparing a competition, such as readying the pool and hall for the competition.
5. The Executive Board may draw up rules of procedure for the Competition Committee’s activities.
Athletes Committee
1. SSF has an athletes’ committee, which operates in accordance with the Olympic Charter.
2. Representatives shall be elected to the Athletes’ Committee in accordance with the rules in the regulations for the Athletes’ Committee.
Management meetings
The Executive Board shall arrange periodic management meetings. All committee members of all the various committees of SSF shall participate in these executive meetings, except the Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes.
Appeals
All appeals shall be directed to the committee responsible for the matter at hand. The decision taken by that committee may be appealed to the Executive Board, which may decide the matter or forward the matter to the Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes. In the event that the Executive Board makes a determination on the appeal, that decision may be appealed to the Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes.
11. The Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes
The Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes comprises three (3) members. The Panel carries out its duties in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the FCSOC Panel for Disciplinary Matters & Disputes.
12. General provisions governing committees
Each committee shall faithfully abide by and carry out the directives adopted by the AGA and shall ensure that the rules and regulations of SSF are always as consistent with international rules as possible.
13. Competition Year
The competition year of SSF shall be from 1 September to 31 August.
14. Neutrality
SSF shall remain neutral regarding any political or religious issues.
15. Financial basis
The finances of SSF are based on income from membership fees, participation fees, competitions, appropriations from the Faroese Government, and sponsored swims (see the regulations governing sponsored swims), etc. The fiscal year is the calendar year.
16. Subscription rights
SSF can be subscribed by the signature of the President and of two Executive Board members.
17. Dissolution
A proposal to dissolve SSF may only be submitted before the AGA. Approval of such a recommendation requires the consent of three-fourths of those members with a right to vote. Moreover, at least three-fourths of the clubs shall be represented at the time of said vote.
Any assets held by SSF shall be used to advance and benefit swimming or sports in general.
Approved at the Annual General Assembly of the Faroe Islands Aquatics Federation on 13 April 2024.
NB: The English version of the statutes is a translation of the Faroese version of the statutes which has been approved by the Annual General Assembly of the Faroe Islands Aquatic Federation. In case of any divergence between the two versions, the Faroese version has precedence.
