FCBARCELONA.CAT

28.07.2009 12:21

New Club Statutes proposal unveiled

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The details of the proposed new Club Statutes, which will be presented for approval to the Representative Assembly on 19th August, have been published. They were unveiled by Board members Josep Cubells and Magda Oranich on Tuesday.

The modification of Decree 145/1991, which regulates the constitutions of clubs and sports associations, was approved by the Catalan Parliament (Generalitat de Catalunya) last November. It established that the term of office of governing boards may not be less than six years nor more than eight. The new decree requires clubs to adapt their constitutions before new elections.

The Disciplinary Committee of FC Barcelona has been working over the last few months to produce a new and improved version of the Club Statutes in line with the change in the law. This will now be presented to the members’ Representative Assembly for approval on 19th August.

The aim of the work done over these past few months is to take advantage of this change required by the Catalan Parliament to produced a more modern and improved set of Statutes.

The principal changes are as follows: 

► The term of office of the Board of Directors will be for six years, starting on 1st July and finishing on 30th June. The president of the Board may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

If elections are held because of the resignation of the serving Board, the new Board will start its term of office from the moment it takes possession, which must be within 10 days of the elections. In this case, the term of office will last six years plus the time elapsed between taking possession and the following 1st July.

► Elections to the Club presidency must be held between 15th March and 15th June.

► The members of the interim management committee will be designated by the president of the Economic Commission, who will act, as up to now, as president, and by the Members’ Ombudsman (until now this had been carried out by the president of the Catalan FA) from among the members of the Economic Commission and the Disciplinary Commission.

► A number of issues are added to the disciplinary code, including the defence of members’ rights and the classification of sanctions for actions, statements and conduct that directly or indirectly incite violence and/or antisocial, racist or xenophobic behaviour.

► Statutory recognition for the Foundation, in recognition of the relevance acquired in recent years as a body that promotes the charitable, civic and social policies of the Club in Catalonia and around the world.

► Recognition of the integration of the Supporters’ Clubs in the social life of the Club.

► Statutory recognition of the Catalan language as the language of FC Barcelona and the normal and preferential use of Catalan in all activities of the Club.

► Residence in Catalonia as a necessary precondition to be elected president.

► The non-payment of the membership fee ceases to be a breach of the rules that results in a disciplinary hearing that leads eventually to the loss of membership to become a cause for automatic loss of membership, without the need for a disciplinary procedure.