Governance and Responsibility

NON-AUTHORITATIVE TRANSLATION, IN CASE OF DISCREPANCIES THE FINNISH ORIGINAL IS AUTHORITATIVE

Constitution of the Finnish Cricket Association

Name, seat, and purpose of the association

1. The name of the association (henceforth also federation) is Suomen Krikettiliitto ry and its seat is the City of Helsinki.

2. The purpose of the association is to promote cricketing activities among Finns and people residing in Finland at all levels of the sport, and to act as a point of contact between current and future members of the association. Furthermore, the association promotes and supervises the development of the sport in the country.

3. The federation fulfils its purpose by:
a) undertaking cricket education activities in Finland,
b) facilitating the establishment of new cricket clubs,
c) organising national and international competition activities at all levels of cricket and coordinating participation in international competitions,
d) compiling rules for competitions organised by the federation, rules for competition activities, codes of conduct, and disciplinary rules, supervising adherence to the rules and resolving disputes related to them,
e) releasing and publishing cricketing material,
f) representing its members internationally and communicating with respective foreign organisations,
g) advocacy of cricket domestically and ensuring adherence to obligations and rules binding on the federation.

Membership and annual fees of the federation

4. Only a registered association or other competent organisation, that agrees to be bound by the Constitution and lower-level rules of the federation, may be admitted as an ordinary member of the federation. New members are admitted by the Board of the federation.

A membership application must be submitted to the Board in writing and the Constitution and proof of registration of the organisation attached.

The federation may have natural persons and competent organisations as supporting members that pay an annual membership fee adopted by the annual general meeting of the federation. Natural persons and competent organisations that have paid the membership fee and want to support the activities of the federation can join as life members.

5. A member may secede from the federation by notifying the Board or the chairperson in writing, or by making a minuted submission of the secession in a general meeting. The secession shall enter into force at the end of the calendar year during which it has been notified or submitted. The seceding member is liable to fulfil its financial obligations stemming from this Constitution for the year the secession has been notified or submitted.

6. The Board of the federation may expel a member if the member does not fulfil the obligations laid out in the Constitution and adhere to the decisions made by the federation, or if the member acts against the objectives of the federation or in a manner that is harmful to the federation.

The decision to expel a member is considered to have been notified to the member in five (5) days after it has been mailed to the member by registered mail. The decision to expel a member may be appealed in writing to a general assembly. The letter of appeal must be delivered to the Board within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the decision to expel the member.

The Board of the federation may expel a member or withhold playing rights in competitions organised by the federation is a member has not fulfilled the obligations set in the Constitution by the end of March of the following year. The member must be allowed to be heard in the matter before action is taken.

7. A person who has continuously and for a longer time promoted the attainment of the objectives of the federation, or has otherwise acted in the benefit of the federation, may be inducted as honorary chairperson or honorary member by a decision of the general assembly, or the Board may award them a decoration of the federation.

8. The membership fee is established by a general assembly separately for each membership category for a period of one year at a time.

Governance of the federation

9. The governing bodies of the federation are the general assembly and the Board.

The term of the Board is three years staggered so that on the first year the term expires for the chairperson and three other members of the Board, on the second year the term expires for the vice-chairperson and three other members of the Board, and on the third year for three other members of the Board. Terms expire to the general assembly that has elected new members to replace the and it expires in the general assembly that elects a new Board. Members whose terms expire may be re-elected.

General Assembly

10. The Board must deliver invitations to ordinary general assemblies by mail or e-mail at least six (6) weeks before the general assembly and to extraordinary general assemblies at least four (4) weeks before the general assembly.

Initiatives from members to a general assembly must be submitted to the federation at least four (4) weeks before the general assembly. Initiatives to amend the constitution must be submitted to the federation at least eight (8) weeks be the general assembly.

The agenda of a general assembly must be sent to the members at least one (1) week before the general assembly.

If the Board so decides, participation in a general assembly may be arranged by remote connection or other technical aid.

11. In a general assembly, each ordinary member has a single vote that is used by a representative authorised by the member.

A member that has not fulfilled its membership obligations by the end of the January of the following year does not possess a vote in a general assembly.

Supporting, life, and honorary members do not possess a vote in a general assembly.

The chairperson of the federation, the members of the Board of the federation, and officials appointed by the Board of the federation have the right to be present and command the floor in a general assembly.

12. The decision adopted by the general assembly shall be the proposal that has been supported by more than half of the votes cast. In case of a tie, the proposal that the chairperson of the federation announces their support for shall prevail, except for elections where lots shall be drawn.

Closed ballots shall always be used in elections. Closed ballots shall be used in other votes if ten (10) votes present so demand.

If there is more than a single candidate, the person prevailing in the election for the chairperson of the federation shall be the candidate who acquires more than half of the votes cast. If no candidate acquires more than half of the vote, a second round of voting shall ensue between the two candidates who have acquired the greatest number of votes.

If there are more candidates than there are seats, an election for the other members of the Board shall ensue using personal majority voting. A representative may write at most as many names on the ballot as there are seats available. All names written on a ballot have the same weight. Candidates who have acquired the greatest number of votes shall be elected.

If there are as many or fewer candidates than there are vacancies in the elections for the chairperson, vice-chairperson, or the other members of the Board of the federation, a confirmatory election shall be held where the candidate must acquire 50% + 1 of the votes cast to be elected.

Empty votes are not counted as cast votes.

13. The ordinary general assembly is held annually in October or November. The general assembly shall be endeavoured to be held when there are no matches or other events scheduled for any of the members.

Extraordinary general assemblies are held when the Board so decides or 1/10 of the voting members so demand in writing from the Board for addressing one or more matters set out by the members. In the latter case, the invitation to the general assembly must be sent within three (3) weeks of the delivery of the demand to the Board.

A general assembly is quorate when it has been convened according to the requirements in this Constitution and at least one (1) vote is present.

14. In an ordinary general assembly

1. the assembly is called to order
2. a chairperson is elected for the assembly
3. a secretary, two minutes adjusters, and two vote talliers are elected for the meeting,
4. the legality and quorum of the assembly is established
5. an annual report from the previous activity period is adopted
6. the financial statement from the previous financial year is affirmed, the statement from the auditors or operations inspectors is acknowledged, and the Board and other liable officials are discharged of responsibility
7. member initiatives are processed
8. possible compensation for the members of the Board is adopted
9. compensation for the auditors and operations inspectors is adopted
10. the chairperson of the federation is elected when the term of the incumbent expires
11. the vice-chairperson of the federation is elected when the term of the incumbent expires
12. other members of the Board are elected when the terms of the incumbents expire
13. two operations inspectors and two alternates are elected, or one auditor and, if necessary, one alternate, and one operations inspector and alternate are elected
14. an activity plan and budget are adopted for the ongoing activity period, and, if necessary, medium-term and long-term plans for the federation are adopted
15. membership fees are established
16. other agenda items are addressed

The Board

15. The Board of the federation comprises the chairperson, known as the chairperson of the federation, the vice-chairperson, known as the vice-chairperson of the federation, and nine other members elected by a general assembly. The Board elects a vice-chairperson from its members and may assign specific areas of responsibility to its members.

16. The Board is convened by an invitation from the chairperson or the secretary of the Board. The invitation must be delivered to all members of the Board at least one week in advance. The Board may be convened for a weighty reason at a notice differing from above, in which case the opportunity to participate remotely must be paid special attention. The meeting is quorate if the chairperson or the vice-chairperson is present and at least half of the whole Board are present.

The decision of the Board shall be the opinion supported by over half of the votes cast. Empty votes are not counted as votes cast. In a meeting of the Board each member shall have one (1) vote. In the event of a tie, the opinion of the chairperson shall prevail, except for elections where lots shall be drawn.

17. The Board shall act as the executive of the federation and it disposes of its duties according to laws, this Constitution, and the decisions of general assemblies. In particular, the duties of the Board comprise:

1. convening a general assembly and preparing the matters to be presented to the general assembly
2. supervising the routines of the federation
3. admitting and expelling members and keeping a member registry
4. electing representative of the federation to meetings and other events where the federation has the right to be represented
5. governing the assets of the federation and, if necessary, decide on the selling, exchanging and mortgaging of property, and preparing the financial statements and annual reports
6. governing the transactions and publishing activities of the federation
7. supervising the competitions activities of the federation and the preparation of lower-level rules
8. approving national participation in international competitions
9. supervising that competition activities adhere to competition rules and decrees that are binding on the federation
10. establishing operative bodies necessary for the activities of the federation, for example for the organisation of competition activities, disciplinary matters, ground management, and the federation’s relationships with other sporting organisations and communities, for the establishment and delegated authority of which it shall notify the members
11. actively following the development of cricket domestically and internationally

18. Penalties for breaches of the competition rules and disciplinary rules of the federation shall be established in lower-level rules applicable at that time. Decision made pursuant to this section may be appealed to the Finnish Sports Arbitration Board as specifically allowed by the lower-level rules.

In suspected anti-doping violations, disciplinary powers shall be exercised from 1.1.2021 on by the disciplinary entity specified in the Finnish Anti-Doping Code.

19. The authority to enter into contracts for the federation shall be held by the chairperson or the vice-chairperson together or either one with one other member of the Board.
The Board may authorise the above or another person to enter into contracts for the federation either alone with another authorisee.

Accounts, auditing, and operations inspections

20. The activity period and financial year of the federation is the calendar year.

Financial statements are posted for inspection with an annual report, minutes from general assemblies and Board meetings, and other necessary documents, to the auditors and/or operations inspectors at least one month in advance of the ordinary general assembly. The statement(s) from auditors and/or operations inspectors are delivered to the Board at least fourteen days in advance of the ordinary general assembly.

Amending the Constitution, dissolution of the federation, disbandment of the federation

21. A decision to amend the Constitution shall enter into force is the amendment has been supported by at least three quarters of the votes cast.

21. The dissolution of the federation requires decisions supported by at least three quarters of the votes cast in two consecutive general assemblies convened at least one month apart.

23. If a decision to dissolve the federation has been adopted, the remaining funds shall be distributed in a manner adopted by the latter of the general assemblies where the decisions to dissolve the federation have been adopted. The distribution of funds shall promote the development of cricket in Finland in the best possible way.

24. If the federation is disbanded, the remaining funds must be used in the best possible way to promoted the development of cricket in Finland.

Transitional provisions

25. Due to the modification of the general assembly cycle adopted by the general assembly on 29.4.2023, the term of the incumbent Board on the date of the general assembly shall be extended to the general assembly according to the new cycle in October-November 2023.

26. Due to the staggering of Board terms adopted by the general assembly on 29.4.2023, the ordinary general assembly of 2023 shall elect a chairperson and three other members of the Board to three-year terms, a vice-chairperson and three other members of the Board to one-year terms and three other members of the Board to two-year terms.

The Finnish Document can be found here