1    NAME

1.1    The association shall be known at the British Octopush Association, (the BOA).


2    OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the BOA are:-

2.1    To act as the controlling body of Octopush (Underwater Hockey) in the United Kingdom, (UK).

2.2    To make and revise all rules relating to Octopush (Underwater Hockey) in the UK.

2.3    To represent the interests of UK Octopush (Underwater Hockey) at international level.

2.4    To foster and develop Octopush (Underwater Hockey) in the UK.

2.5    To decide on any other matters pertaining to Octopush (Underwater Hockey) in the UK.


3    MEMBERSHIP

3.1    Membership of the BOA shall be ope to all teams and clubs who play Octopush in the UK.

3.2    There shall be the following classes of membership:-

3.2.1    Club Team (mixed)
3.2.2    Women’s Club Team
3.2.3    Youth Club Team
3.2.4    Junior Club Team
3.2.5    Introductory Team
3.2.6    Individual Membership

3.3    Every member shall pay on being admitted to the BOA such membership fee as shall be current at the time of the member’s admission. All membership fees for the following year shall become due at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting.

3.4    Every member as defined at 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3 and 3.2.4 shall have the right to one vote per resolution at Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings.


4    MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

4.1    General Management responsibility shall be vested in the BOA Committee, (the Committee).

4.2    The membership of the BOA shall have the right by special resolution to make directions as to the management of the BOA. In the event of a conflict between a resolution of the Committee and a direction of the membership, the direction shall take precedence.

4.3    The Committee shall be responsible for approving the appointment of BOA Area Representatives, who in turn shall represent the interests of their Regions to the Committee.

4.4    The Committee members shall be elected to office at the Annual General Meeting of the BOA.

4.5    The Committee shall comprise a minimum of 5 officers and a maximum of 10 officers to include the following:-

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer

4.6    A BOA officer shall not hold the same Committee position for more than three consecutive years.

4.7    The Committee shall be responsible for the regulation of its own procedure and shall meet at such times as the Committee shall determine; provided that it shall be convened no fewer than three times in any calendar year.

4.8    The quorum for a Committee meeting shall not be less than four officers.

4.9    The Committee shall have the power by ordinary resolution at any time to:

4.9.1    Fill any casual vacancies among the officers of the Committee.

4.9.2    Co-opt an individual to the Committee to assist for a particular purpose defined at the time of co-opting that individual.


4.9.3    Form a sub-committee to assist an officer for a particular purpose defined at the time of forming that sub-committee.

4.9.4    Discipline, including suspend or expel from membership BOA members as defined at clause 3.2 who act in a manner, which in the opinion of the Committee is prejudicial to the interests of the BOA or Octopush (Underwater Hockey).

4.9.5    Carry out any other business or activity whatsoever which is in the opinion of the Committee is advantageous to the BOA.


5    MEETINGS

5.1    Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the BOA

5.1.1    Notice of the AGM shall be promulgated to membership not less than eight weeks ahead of the proposed date of the AGM.

5.1.2    Any resolution proposed by a member for the AGM shall be submitted to the BOA Secretary in writing not less than 28 days prior to the AGM.

5.1.3    The quorum for an AGM shall consist of five representatives from five different BOA member clubs.

5.2    Special General Meeting (SGM) of the BOA

5.2.1    A SGM may be convened at any time and shall be convened within 28 days upon requisition of six BOA members as defines at clause 3.2.1 and clause 3.2.2.

5.2.2    Any SGM requisition shall state the purpose for which the meetings is required.

5.2.3    The quorum for an SGM shall be 25% of all BOA members entitled to vote.


6    VOTES

6.1    At all general meetings of the BOA, resolutions shall be decided by the majority of votes.

6.2    At all Committee meetings and general meetings of the BOA, the Chairperson shall in the event of an equality of votes be entitled to a casting vote.    


7    OFFICERS

7.1    Chairperson

7.1.1    At all Committee meetings the Chairperson, if present, shall preside and in his/her presence a Vice Chairperson, if present, shall preside. In the event that either the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson is present, the officers present shall elect one of their number to preside at the meeting.

7.2    Secretary

7.2.1    The Secretary shall be responsible for all secretarial services to the BOA. All communications to and from the BOA, unless otherwise agreed shall be made through the Secretary.

7.3    Treasurer

7.3.1    The Treasurer shall be responsible for and make satisfactory arrangements for the discharge of financial affairs of the BOA.


8    FINANCE

8.1    The financial year shall end on the 31st March.

8.2    The Committee, through the treasurer, shall be responsible for ensuring that the financial records of the BOA are properly prepared.

8.3    The accounts shall be audited at the end of the financial year by an auditor appointed by the Committee and reported to the AGM.

8.4    Such funds as maybe necessary to remunerate the appointed auditor shall be made available by the BOA.


9    DISCIPLINE

9.1    Any complaints pertaining to the BOA maybe made by any individual or team through an officer or area representative for consideration by the Committee.

9.2    In the event that any individual or member has, in the opinion of the Committee, contravened the constitution or stated objectives of the BOA, breached any rule promulgated by Committee or brought the BOA or Octopush (Underwater Hockey) into disrepute; a Disciplinary Committee shall have the power to discipline that member or individual or to revoke their membership of the BOA without recompense.

9.2.1    The BOA Chairperson shall appoint the members of the Disciplinary Committee.
9.3    Before any disciplinary action is taken, the Secretary shall give not less that seven days written notice to attend a meeting of the Disciplinary Committee and shall notify that individual member of the complaints made against them.

9.4    Where the Disciplinary Committee has imposed a sanction against an individual or member, that individual or member shall have the right within 21 days to appeal against the sanction to a Disciplinary Appeals Sub-committee.

9.4.1    The membership of the Disciplinary Appeals Sub-committee shall not include any officer who was a party to the decision to impose a sanction against which the appeal is pending.

9.4.2    The decision of the Disciplinary Appeals Sub-committee shall be final.


10    EXPULSION OF COMMITTEE OFFICERS

10.1    The Committee shall have the right by special resolution to expel any officer who has, in its opinion, brought the BOA or Octopush (Underwater Hockey) into disrepute or acted to prejudice its stated objectives.


11    DISSOLUTION

11.1    The BOA may only be voluntarily dissolved pursuant to a special resolution of not less that two thirds of the members and only then upon a motion of dissolution approved by the Committee.

11.2    In the event of the dissolution of the BOA, the debts of the BOA shall be settled. After the disposal of any assets covered by special conditions, all the remaining non cash assets shall be sold and the total cash then divided among all members of the BOA who have been members for at least one calendar year prior to the date of dissolution.