CAT

TITRE I titre

GENERAL PROVISIONS

CHAPTER I

DESIGNATION – HEADQUARTERS – DURATION

DESIGNATION :

Article 1

The African National Tennis Associations, which shall comply with the statutes set out hereinafter, shall set up a confederation, the CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN TENNIS, referred to by the abbreviation CAT.

HEADQUARTERS

Article 2

The headquarters of the CAT shall be determined by the Executive Committee, subject to ratification by the next AGM by simple majority. The President is mandated to negotiate and sign an agreement with the authorities of the host country where the headquarters is to be established.

DURATION :

Article 3

The duration of the CAT is unlimited.

CHAPTER II

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES – OBJECTIVES – OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

Article 4

The CAT shall undertake to abide by the fundamental principles and objectives guiding the actions of the International Tennis Federation, which are the following:

1. To provide a link between its affiliated members and the International Tennis Federation (ITF),
2. To execute all functions which the ITF may delegate to it,
3. To represent its affiliated members before the ITF, if asked to intervene on their behalf,
4. To uphold the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the ITF,
5. To promote and stimulate competition and sportsmanship amongst its affiliated members,
6. To establish calendars of events at all levels within the Region and to recommend international circuits to the ITF for inclusion in international calendars,
7. To administer, as required by the ITF, the funds of any company that the CAT may receive, and
8. To promote, establish and coordinate development and educational programmes within the region.

Article 5

The CAT shall refrain from all forms of racial, ethnic, religious or political discrimination. In so doing, the members shall ensure that all their citizens are afforded the same opportunities to freely practice tennis.

Article 6

The member associations shall owe each other mutual respect and consideration, especially when applying general rules, sanctions and penalties agreed upon by each other.

Article 7

CAT Membership: Affiliation – Subscription – Resignation – Suspension – Readmission

7.1 Only structured national associations, recognised as such by the laws and regulations of the country concerned and which abide by the fundamental principles of the Confederation of African Tennis, can apply and become members of the CAT.
7.2 The CAT shall only recognise one association per country.

Application for Membership:

7.3 A National Association upon application for membership of the CAT shall ensure and certify that it operates as and is a properly constituted sports body in accordance with the law applicable to the country in which it is domiciled before making an application for membership. Further, such applicant shall ensure that on becoming a member of the CAT it shall remain such a properly constituted sports body throughout its membership of the CAT.

7.4 Applications for membership from new applicants shall be considered at an Annual General Meeting of the CAT. Each application for membership, to be accepted, must receive at least a two-thirds majority Resolution of the Council recorded at the Annual General Meeting in respect of the application.

Upon renewal of membership, or in the case of a new member, upon making the application for membership, each member thereby agrees to abide by the Constitution, decisions and rulings of the CAT. A member shall renew its membership by paying the subscription fees as described in this constitution.

7.5 Subscription:
(a) All Associations Members to CAT shall each pay an annual subscription in such amount as may be fixed by the Annual General Meeting, and shall be paid in the lawful currency of the United States of America or the equivalent in any other currency acceptable to the Council.
(b) No increase in affiliation fees will be implemented without a simple majority at the annual General Meeting.

Resignation and Suspension – Expulsion:

7.6 Resignation:
Any National Association Member to CAT may resign as a Member by notice in writing to the Company delivered on or before the 31st December in any year and in default shall be held liable for the subscription for the following year.

7.7 Suspension – Expulsion - Readmission:
Any Member to CAT who fails for two successive years to pay its subscriptions risks either be suspended or be expelled (by a resolution of the Council passed with at least a two-thirds majority) from the CAT. The Executive Committee shall determine whether the sanction in the resolution to be put to the
Council should be suspension or expulsion. Any proposed suspension or expulsion shall be upon notice to concerned National Association 60 days before the AGM.
Notice of any proposed suspension or termination of membership, expulsion or re-admittance to membership, shall appear on the agenda of the General Meeting at which it is to be moved.
Any Member who is suspended shall not be entitled to submit resolutions to, attend or vote at any General Meeting of the CAT and shall not participate in the Official Events of the CAT.

7.8 Readmission of Membership to CAT:
1) Any former Member which has applied for re-admittance to membership may, when it has fulfilled the requirements set out below, be readmitted as Member at the discretion of the Council if a Resolution of the Council to that effect is carried by a two thirds majority.
To any such re-admission to Membership that the Association concerned shall make the following payments:
a) Any subscription arrears up to the date when the relevant Association ceased to be a Member;
b) The current year’s subscription; and
c) Only in the case of a Member expelled a penalty in the amount equal to one year’s subscription.
2) Any Member who is suspended pursuant to the Article may, when it has paid in full any outstanding subscriptions, apply for a lifting of that suspension and have its suspension lifted at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
3) Force majeures:
The AGM may in force majeures, by Resolution passed with at least a two-thirds majority, waive payment of any or all of the sums mentioned in the sub-paragraph (1) of this Article.

OBJECTIVES

Article 8

The CAT shall carry out its activities on the African continent with a view to:

8.1 Planning, coordinating and promoting the playing of tennis by both men and women in African countries,
8.2 Organising the official competitions of the CAT as well as other events approved by the Executive Committee,
8.3 Drafting rules and regulations for the control and management of the tennis activities of the CAT,
8.4 Harmonising timetables for training, competitions and other activities at regional, continental and international levels organised by member associations,
8.5 Fostering fraternal relations between African countries so as to strengthen peace and unity on the continent,
8.6 Developing useful relationships with other African sports confederations,
8.7 Promoting the participation of African countries in major tennis events organised by the International Tennis Federation or member nations,
8.8 Strengthening the Anti-Doping Programme in accordance with the directives of the International Olympic Committee and the ITF,
8.9 Promoting the setting-up of new associations and encouraging them to affiliate themselves with the CAT and the ITF,
8.10 Cooperating with the Higher Council for Sport in Africa (CSSA) in the organising of the qualifying events and final phase of tennis competitions of the African Games,
8.11 Cooperating closely with the Higher Council for Sport in Africa (CSSA), the Association of African National Olympic Committees (ACNOA), the associations and international bodies with the aim of planning and harmonising measures to be adopted concerning tennis coaches and teachers, and
8.12 Taking all useful measures in the interest of African tennis

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

Article 9

9.1 The official languages of the CAT shall be English and French.
9.2 In the event of a disagreement, any decision concerning the interpretation of the statutes shall fall to the Executive Committee.

TITLE II

ADMINISTRATION – OPERATION

Article 10

The Confederation of African Tennis is administrated and managed by:

CHAPTER III

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

DEFINITION

Article 11

The Annual General Meeting is the supreme authority of the CAT. It shall take place once per year.

COMPOSITIONS

Article 12

The Annual General Meeting is made up of:

12.1 Voting members
Delegates with the nationality of the country they represent and duly empowered by their national association, a member of the CAT in good standing.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Article 13

13.1 The Annual General Meeting shall set the date and decide upon the location for each meeting.
13.2 It shall elect the President and ratify the election of the five (5) Vice-Presidents by the member associations of the respective zones.
13.3 It is authorised to revise the statutes should the need arise.
13.4 It may decide to set up as many committees as it deems necessary.

ORDINARY SITTINGS

Article 14

14.1 The agenda of an ordinary Annual General Meeting has to contain at least the following points:

I. Approval of the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
II. Annual Report of the President
III. Annual Report of the Zone Presidents
IV. Financial statement of the previous year, duly audited
V. It must take into account and handle:
a) Applications for membership,
b) Verifications of members’ situation,
c) Applications for affiliation from approved associations,
d) Applications to organise official championships,
e) Resolutions to propose amendments to the ITF concerning the Rules,
f) Resolutions bringing together the principles of the Constitution and the Rules of international competitions of the Confederation,
g) Nominations for CAT awards for services to tennis,
h) Other resolutions which shall be handled in accordance with the Constitution.
VI. It must consider and confirm, verify or remove penalties inflicted on any member or former member or any other person subject to this Constitution or the Bye-laws or Rules of the Confederation.
VII. It must elect the President of the Confederation and the Chairman of the Executive Committee for a four-year (4) term.
VIII. It must elect the Executive Committee for a four-year (4) term.
IX. It must appoint on an annual basis the auditors and the legal adviser of the Confederation.
X. It must receive nominations and, if approved, elect Honorary Life Presidents.
XI. It must handle any business regarding the Confederation.

14.2 Invitations for the ordinary Annual General Meetings, which include the agenda, date and venue, shall be forwarded to members at least 30 days before the date set for the meeting.

EXTRAORDINARY SITTINGS

Article 15

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any moment, i.e.:

At the request of two-thirds of fully paid-up member associations
At the request of two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee

It has necessarily to be convened by the General Manager in the six weeks following receipt of the written request, signed by two-thirds of the member associations or by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee.

Article 16

Such a request has to specify the reason for which the convening of the Meeting is required and no other item, other than the adoption of the minutes of the previous meeting, can be dealt with during it.

ELECTIONS - CANDIDACIES

Article 17

A- CANDIDACIES :

1. The candidacies for the positions of President and Vice-Presidents presented by the national association shall be made in writing and reach the General Manager of the CAT one month before the date of the election.
2. Only fully paid-up member associations may submit a single candidacy for the elections of the president and vice-presidents.
3. Only candidacies of persons of member countries having taken part in at least two Annual General Meetings of the CAT shall be accepted.
4. Candidates must be at least twenty-one years of age and enjoy all their civil rights in their respective countries.

B- ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT :

If there is only one candidate, he/she shall be declared elected.
If there is more than one candidate, a ballot will be held and if:

i) One candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, he/she shall be declared elected.
ii) No candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast, a second ballot shall be held for the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes PROVIDED that if a third candidate receives 25% or more of the votes cast in the first ballot, he/she shall also be included in such second ballot. If on this second ballot, a candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast, he/she shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes case on this second ballot, a third ballot shall be held for the two candidates who have received the highest number of votes. On the third ballot, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. In the event that the two candidates in the third ballot receive an equal number of votes, there shall be a further election between those two candidates only to determine the successful candidate.
C- COUNTING OF VOTES:
The counting and allocation of votes will be undertaken by the cat General Manager and two Scrutineers, elected by the delegates at the beginning of the AGM.
D- ELECTION OF THE VICE PRESIDENTS:
Each National Association with voting rights attending the AGM will have designated one of its delegates to cast its votes before the start of the AGM.
The election will be held by traditional paper ballot and administered by the CAT General Manager and two Scrutineers, who will have been elected by the delegates at the start of the AGM.
Each voting nation will collect from the Chief Scrutineer a ballot paper. Candidates will be listed on the ballot paper by zones and in alphabetical order.

Voting delegates will be instructed to delete the names of those candidates whom they do not wish to elect, leaving one (1) name only in each zone.
Any ballot paper with fewer or more than ONE (1) name will be declared null and void.
During the election, in the event of an equal amount of votes for two or more candidates the voting process shall continue.
After the second round, in the event of an equal amount of votes, the elder of the candidate shall be elected.

QUORUM - VOTE

Article 18

18.1 The General Meeting, be it annual, elective or extraordinary, shall only properly deliberate on the first calling if more than half of the fully paid-up member associations are represented.
18.2 In the absence of a quorum, the General Meeting is convened 24 hours later, the quorum being based on the presence of a quarter of the members plus one.
18.3 The vote for the elections shall be held in the form of a secret ballot.
18.4 Other decisions are, if a vote is required, taken with a show of hands, unless at least twenty (20) members of the Annual General Meeting are of the opposite opinion.
18.5 During a secret ballot, voting slips with deletions or too much information shall be considered void.
18.6 Each member association of the CAT has the right to one vote.
18.7 Votes by proxy and by letter shall not be allowed and no association shall be able to represent any another.
18.8 Decisions shall be taken by a simple majority, with the exception of those concerning an Extraordinary General Meeting, the amendment of statutes, exclusion or dissolution.
18.9 In the event of a tie, the President shall have the casting vote.
18.10 Federations who are not fully paid-up members of the CAT can be present at but cannot take part in the Annual General Meeting.

MINUTES

Article 19

19.1 The minutes of the Annual General Meeting and of the meetings of the Executive Committee shall be forwarded to affiliate members within the following forty-five (45) days.
19.2 The minutes shall be considered as tacitly approved, in the absence of notified objections via registered post within thirty (30) days of being sent out.

CHAPITRE IV

LE COMITE DIRECTEUR - COMPOSITION ET ATTRIBUTIONS

Article 20

20.1 The Executive Committee is made up of:
o One (1) President
o Five (5) Vice-Presidents
o One General Treasurer
20.2 The Executive Committee shall meet at least three (3) times per year.
20.3 Members of staff shall attend the Executive Committee meeting on request but will have no voting rights.
20.4 The members of the Executive Committee shall not represent their country.
20.5 The Executive Committee shall manage and administrate the CAT and shall be responsible for the financial affairs and the funds of the CAT.
20.6 The duration of the term of office of the President and the Vice-Presidents is four (4) years, in accordance with the Olympic cycle.
20.7 Outgoing members may be re-elected.
20.8 The members of the Executive Committee shall work on a voluntary basis and shall not be entitled to any form of compensation.

THE PRESIDENT

Article 21

21.1 The President shall chair all the meetings of the Annual General Meeting as well as those of the Executive Committee.
21.2 He shall represent the CAT for proceedings of a legal nature.
21.3 The President and the Treasurer shall jointly sign all the financial and accounting documents of the CAT.
21.4 Should the president be absent, he shall be replaced by the first Vice-President.
21.5 In the event of the resignation of or unexpected difficulties for the President, unanimously observed by the members of the Executive Committee, he shall be replaced by the first Vice-President. A new President shall be elected at the next General Meeting which will be convened to this end with one item on the agenda: the election of a President to serve out what remains of the existing term.

THE VICE-PRESIDENTS

Article 22

22.1 The Vice-Presidents shall support the President during the Annual General Meetings. They shall be members of the Executive Committee.
22.2 The Vice-Presidents shall vote amongst themselves during the elective General Meeting to establish the ranking of the Vice-Presidents.
22.3 A Vice-President, having been absent from three (3) consecutive meetings of the CAT, shall be considered as having resigned and be replaced by an elected representative of the zone.
22.4 In the event of the resignation of or unexpected difficulties for a Vice-President observed by the majority of representatives of the zone, he shall be replaced through an election within the zone at the next General Meeting. The ranking held by the newly elected Vice-President will be that of the outgoing Vice-President for what remains of the existing term.
22.5 The Vice-Presidents are responsible for implementing the programmes of the CAT in their respective zones.

THE GENERAL TREASURER:
Nomination for the position of General Treasurer shall be made by a new CAT Executive Committee. The General Treasurer shall be himself, than elected for a four-year term by resolutions of the Council at an Elective Annual General Meeting of the CAT. The person thus elected General Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election. The General Treasurer shall be entitled to attend all Meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee, and may, if he so desires and if appointed or elected to do so, act as the delegate of one Association at a Meeting of the Council, but unless so acting for a voting member he shall not be entitled to vote at such meetings.

Vacancy within the Executive Committee:

22.6 The office of a member of the Executive Committee shall be vacated in the event that a member:

a) Is medically certified to be a person of unsound mind or all the other members, unanimously resolve that he is physically or mentally incapable of performing the functions of a member of the Executive Committee; or
b) Is convicted of a criminal offence and receives a custodial sentence; or
c) By notice in writing to the Executive Committee resigns as a member; or
d) Having been absent from three (3) consecutive meetings of the CAT Executive Committee

CHAPTER V

THE COMMITTEES

Article 23

23.1 The Annual General Meeting may decide, on the proposal of the Executive Committee, to create as many committees as it deems necessary.
23.2 The members of these committees may be co-opted both from amongst the members of the associations as well as from outside on the basis of their experience and competence in connection with the speciality of the committee.
23.3 The committees are internal structures of the CAT. They are responsible for assisting the Executive Committee in drafting and implementing the action programme of the CAT. Each Committee is chaired by a member of the Executive Committee where possible.

CHAPTER VI

DEVELOPMENT ZONES

Article 24

24.1 The activities of the CAT take place within the framework of the development zones provided for in article 10 of the Constitution.
24.2 The five (5) Presidents of the zones, elected by their peers for a four-year (4) term, automatically become Vice-Presidents of the CAT.
24.3 The Presidents of the zones run, coordinate and supervise the activities in their zones. They are responsible to the President of the CAT and report to the Presidents of the national associations of their zone at least twice per year.

Article 25

25.1 The mission of the zones involves ensuring the development of tennis amongst the member associations. A zone is considered as a body of the CAT.
25.2 Within each of these development zones, a grouping of national associations is set up with the role of ensuring close supervision and promotion of tennis at all levels.
25.3 The list of member associations of each development zone is included in the appendix to the Constitution.

CHAPTER VII

AFFILIATIONS

Article 26

26.1 In accordance with the Constitution of the CSSA and ACNOA, any national sport association whose discipline is recognised may affiliate itself to a specialised Confederation.
26.2 To obtain the status of an active member of the Confederation of African Tennis, a national association must abide by the Constitution of the CAT and pay its subscriptions regularly.
26.3 The Executive Committee may grant temporary affiliation which must be submitted to the next General Meeting, for ratification.

CHAPTER VIII

HONORARY LIFE PRESIDENTS

Article 27

27.1 Honorary Life Presidents:
a) Persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the Confederation (including former Presidents) may be appointed by the Executive Committee as Honorary Life Presidents. Such an election shall take place at an Annual General Meeting by secret ballot and shall require a four-fifths majority resolution of the members.
b) Honorary Life Presidents may take part in Annual General Meetings and in the meetings of the Executive Committee and shall be entitled to speak but not to vote.

HONORARY LIFE VICE-PRESIDENTS

Article 28

28.1 Honorary Life Vice-Presidents:
a) Persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the Confederation (including former Vice-Presidents) may be appointed by the Executive Committee as Honorary Life Vice-Presidents. Such an election shall take place at an Annual General Meeting by secret ballot and shall require a four-fifths majority resolution of the members.
b) Honorary Life Vice-Presidents may take part in Annual General Meetings and in the meetings of the Executive Committee and shall be entitled to speak but not to vote.

CHAPITRE IX

THE AUDITOR

Article 29

29.1 The role of the Auditor shall be to ensure that the accounts of the CAT are sound.
29.2 He shall audit the accounts of the CAT and submit them to the Executive Committee and the General Manager for approval prior to the Annual General Meeting.
29.3 He shall have an auditing role in accordance with the law. The mandate of the Auditor lasts four (4) years and is renewable.

FISCAL YEAR

Article 30

The fiscal and accounting year begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st of each year.

CHAPITRE X

RESOURCES

Article 31

The resources of the CAT are made up of:
a) Annual subscriptions of the member associations, the amount of these subscriptions being fixed by the Annual General Meeting,
b) Revenues of all kinds coming from competitions it can organise,
c) Donations and bequests, the collection of which is authorised by the Annual
General Meeting,
d) Subsidies which could be granted to it,
e) Funds coming from the ITF,
f) Funds from sponsors.

CHAPITRE XI

SANCTIONS

Article 32

32.1 A member association which has not paid in full its subscriptions for two (2) consecutive years shall be suspended and excluded for three (3) years. This measure shall be taken by the Annual General Meeting in the form of a resolution.
32.2 The Executive Committee may propose to the Annual General Meeting that an association, not playing its full part and not representing tennis in an appropriate manner, be excluded. This measure can only be taken if it has the backing of two-thirds of the Annual General Meeting.
32.3 Participation in competitions and sporting events of the CAT is only allowed to those associations that have paid in full their subscriptions to the CAT.

CHAPITRE XII

CASES NOT PROVIDED FOR BY THE CONSTITUTION

Article 33

Those cases not provided for in the Constitution shall be settled by the Executive Committee which will have to obtain approval of the decision at the next Annual General Meeting, with a two-thirds majority of the votes, for its implementation.

CHAPITRE XIII

AMENDMENTS

Article 34

34.1 Only the Annual General Meeting is authorised to amend the statutes.
34.2 Any draft amendment to the statutes must be submitted by an association or the Executive Committee.
34.3 Proposals to amend the statutes have to reach the CAT office at least 90 days before the planned date of the next Annual General Meeting and forwarded on to the national associations 30 days before the aforementioned date.
34.4 An Annual General Meeting may only decide on amendments to the statutes if at least two-thirds of fully paid-up members are present.
34.5 To be approved, the proposed amendment has to secure two-thirds of the votes cast.

CHAPITRE XIV

DISSOLUTION

Article 35

The dissolution of the CAT will only be effective through a decision backed by two-thirds of the votes cast in the Annual General Meeting.

In this case, all financial obligations have to be settled and the balance and assets of the CAT shall be made available to a similar organisation in Africa