SCOTTISH ATHLETICS LEAGUE

CONSTITUTION

1.	Name. The name of the League shall be Scottish Athletics League (hereinafter referred to as ‘the League’).

Object.

The object of the League shall be:-

2.1

2.2

2.3

To provide Track and Field inter-club competition for the athletic clubs of Scotland.

Generally to promote and foster athletics.

To do all the things that are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the Objects of the League.

Membership.

Membership of the League shall comprise:-

3.1

Each club eligible for the time being to participate in League competitions promoted by the League.

4.	General Meeting. A General Meeting of the League shall be held each year in October, November or December to be called the Annual General Meeting. Meetings shall be convened by the General Secretary.

Extraordinary General Meetings.

At the discretion of the Principal Officers or upon receipt of a requisition signed by not less than six member clubs of the League, the General Secretary shall promptly convene a General Meeting. Any requisitions must be in writing and must state the purpose of the General Meeting.

Notice of General Meeting

At least 21 clear days notice of every General Meeting shall be given, in writing, to all clubs entitled to attend. The Notice shall specify the place, day and hour of the Meeting and shall specify the business to be transacted. In the case of an Annual General Meeting the Notice shall be accompanied by any Annual Reports and Statement of Accounts.

7.	Votes at General Meetings. Every member club of the League shall be entitled to one vote. No others shall be entitled to vote and there shall be no proxy votes.

8.		Attendance at a General Meeting.
		8.1	Persons entitled to attend, speak, propose and second motions at a General Meeting are as follows:-
			8.1.1 8.1.2 8.1.3	Two representatives of each member club. The Principal Officers. Members of League Committees.
		8.2	Persons entitled to attend and speak at a General Meeting are as follows:-
			8.2.1 8.2.2	The Auditor/s. Such other persons as may be invited by agreement of the Principal Officers.
	Entitlement to attend a General Meeting does not confer any voting rights beyond those set out in Clause 7.

9.	Business of a General Meeting.
	9.1 9.2	The Notice convening any General Meeting shall state the business of the Meeting. The business of the General Meeting shall be:-
		9.2.1 9.2.2 9.2.3 9.2.4	To consider and approve the Minutes of the previous Meeting. To receive the Minutes of any Committee held since the previous General Meeting. To consider any motions set out in the Notice of the Meeting. To transact any business which may properly be transacted at a General Meeting.
	9.3	The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:-
		9.3.1 9.3.2 9.3.3 9.3.4 9.3.5 9.3.6	To receive and consider the audited Statement of Accounts. To elect the Principal Officers, namely: - Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer. To elect the Registration Officer. To elect Divisional Representatives and such other Officials as may be required from time to time. To elect an Auditor/s. To transact any other business which may properly be transacted at an Annual General Meeting including the annual subscriptions for the following year.
	9.4 9.5	Every motion, including nominations for the Principal Officers, shall be sent, in writing, to the General Secretary at least 28 days before the date of the meeting. No business may be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum is present. A quorum shall be representatives of 40% of member clubs personally present and entitled vote. If within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present the meeting shall be dissolved.

10.

Principal Officers

The Principal Officers shall be empowered to conduct the urgent business of the League provided that they shall report their actions and decisions to the earliest appropriate Committee or General Meeting.

11.

Terms of Office

All persons appointed to offices in the League shall hold office until the conclusion of the next succeeding Annual General Meeting.

12.

Committees

Without prejudice to the general powers of the members in General Meetings, there shall be a Finance and General Purposes Committee. This Committee shall meet as required and have powers to co-opt additional members.

Finance and General Purpose Committee.

13.1

13.2

Composition.

The Finance & General Purposes Committee will consist of the following officers: Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Officials’ Secretary, League Registration Officer and one other Committee Member from each of two different clubs, all as elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Duties.

13.2.1

13.2.2

13.2.3

To control and supervise all the affairs of the League.

To cause proper accounts to be kept with respect to the Income and Expenditure, Assets and Liabilities of the League.

To cause to be prepared audited accounts made up to 30^th September in each year.

14.

Procedures at Meetings.

14.1

14.2

14.3

14.4

14.5

14.6

14.7

14.8

14.9

The Chairman shall take the chair at General Meetings and F & G P Committee Meetings. In the absence of the Chairman the meeting shall elect a Chairman.

Every member (including co-opted members) shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the F & G P Committee.

In any vote whether ballot or show of hands no individual, irrespective of the number of offices held, shall be entitled to more than ONE vote.

Save as otherwise provided by the Constitution all business of a meeting shall be decided by a bare majority of votes properly recorded at such a meeting.

Every question shall be decided by a show of hands unless a ballot is (a) directed by the Chairman or (b) demanded by not less than three members present and entitled to vote.

In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.

Every motion and every amendment to a motion shall be proposed and seconded. Representatives of the same member club may not propose and second the same motion or amendment.

These procedures (except 2, 3 and 4) may be suspended for all or part of any meeting if a motion to that effect is carried by an affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of members present and voting.

The decision of the Chairman on any point shall be final unless it is clearly in breach of the Constitution and any person disobeying the ruling of the Chair may be suspended by ordinary resolution of the meeting.

15.

Rules of Competition.

The F & G P Committee shall cause to be prepared detailed Rules covering such competitions as the League shall promote. Such Rules and all amendments thereto shall be subject to approval at a General Meeting.

16.

Audit.

Once at least in every year the Accounts shall be examined and the correctness thereof ascertained by one or more persons appointed for this purpose.

17.

Minutes.

The General Secretary shall cause proper Minutes to be kept of the proceedings of all General Meetings and Committee Meetings.

17.1

Every member club of the League shall be entitled to receive a copy of all Minutes.

18.

Winding up.

The League shall have the power to wind-up or to amalgamate with any other athletic organisation. Such winding up or amalgamation shall require the approval of a resolution passed at a General Meeting of the League at which not less than two thirds of the votes cast are in favour. Any funds remaining shall, unless the meeting otherwise decides, be divided equally amongst the member clubs as defined in 3.1.

19.

Amendments to The Constitution.

Any amendment to the Constitution shall require the approval of a resolution passed at a General Meeting of the League at which not less than two thirds of the votes cast are in favour.

This Constitution is adopted on behalf of Scottish Athletics League by Dr David Low, Chairman, Scottish Athletics League on 11^th October 2009.

Signed _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

SCOTTISH ATHLETICS LEAGUE

RULES of COMPETITION

In accordance with National Governing Body Rules (currently UK Athletics) with Scottish League restrictions as follows:

Each club will provide three Match Officials, at least one of which must be a Scottish Athletics graded official, per match. Clubs failing to meet this requirement will not be allowed to compete in the match. Officials must be available 20 minutes prior to the start of the appropriate track or field programme, must be present for the entire programme and available at all times.

Each club nominated by the Finance & General Purposes Committee as Convening Club for a match will be required to provide one person to assist with administrative duties at the match, one person to act as a “results runner” and two Match Officials (instead of the usual three Match Officials). Clubs failing to meet this requirement will incur a penalty to be decided by the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

a. Second Claim and Higher Competition Club Members may be used in the League provided they comply with UKA regulations and are registered as such with the League Registration Officer. The number allowed per club will be fixed annually at the Annual General Meeting. (Currently, each club may use up to twelve Second Claim or HCC Members during the season).

b. Any club found to have used an ineligible athlete shall forfeit all Match points gained by that athlete.

Clubs will compete in Divisions and normally a Division will have a maximum of eight clubs. However, higher numbers are allowed. In track events that require more than one heat, the points will be awarded on the basis of time (to the nearest 0.01s for electronic timing and the nearest 0.1s for hand timing). If athletes with the same time are all in the same heat then the track judges’ positions will be used, otherwise athletes with the same time will be awarded equal points.

a. Scoring in all divisions will depend on the number of teams entered at the start of the season, as follows:

8 Club Divisions. A string & Relays:16,14,12,10,8,6,5,4 B string: 12,10,8,6,4,3,2,1

9 Club Divisions. A string & Relays: 18,16,14,12,10,8,6,5,4 B string: 12,10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1

10 Club Divisions. A string & Relays: 20,18,16,14,12,10,8,6,5,4 B string: 14,12,10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1

11 Club Divisions. A string & Relays: 20,18,16,14,12,10,8,7,6,5,4 B string: 14,12,10,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

12 Club Divisions. A string & Relays: 20,18,16,14,12,10,9,8,7,6,5,4 B string: 14,12,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

b. No points will be awarded to any competitor who fails to achieve the following standard:

Event	Standard	Event	Standard	Event	Standard	Event	Standard
100m	13.50s	800m	2:20	Long Jump	4.50m	Shot	7.50m
200m	27.00s	1,500m	5:00	Triple Jump	10.00m	Discus	20.00m
400m	60.00s	5,000m	18:00	High Jump	1.40m	Hammer	20.00m
110mH	22.00s	3,000m SC	13:00	Pole Vault	2.40m	Javelin	25.00m
400mH	75.00s

In the throws and horizontal jumps each competitor will be allowed three trials. The leading three competitors plus any others attaining the appropriate qualification standard will be allowed a further three trials. The Qualification Standards are:

Long Jump: 6.50m Triple Jump: 13.00m Shot: 13.00m

Discus: 35.00m Hammer: 40.00m Javelin: 50.00m.

a. There will be two competitors per club per event in all League matches.

b. Club vests will be worn. Competitors not wearing club vests will be debarred from competing unless at the discretion of the appropriate Referee.

c. In Field events and Track events of 1500m and over where there is not separate competition for A and B strings, the better placed of a club’s representatives shall be deemed the A string.

d. If Track events up to 800m where A and B strings normally run separately are run as one race the scoring will be as declared with A strings scoring A string points and B strings scoring B string points.

e. In Track events up to 800m where A and B strings normally run separately, if no A string competitor comes under starter’s orders then the B string will not be awarded any points.

a. At each match athletes are allowed to compete in a maximum of six events, including relays.

b. At each match athletes in the “Under 20” age group are allowed to compete in a maximum of five events, including relays.

c. At each match athletes in the “Under 17” age group are allowed to compete in a maximum of two individual events and one relay. “Under 17” athletes may not compete in throwing events, hurdles, or track events of 3,000m or longer.

d. Where a club has used an athlete in more than his permitted number of events, any Match points gained in the extra events shall be deducted.

Team Managers should submit their teams at least 20 minutes before the start of the meeting. However, where Field events start prior to the first Track event, then declarations for these Field events may be advised separately and the remainder of the team 30 minutes before the first Track event. Emergency team changes must be declared at least 10 minutes before the event in question otherwise approval must be obtained from the appropriate Referee. Team Declaration sheets must be amended to reflect these changes.

10.

a. The programme of events to be followed at each meeting will be drawn up by the F & G P Committee. There shall be no variation therefrom without prior consent of the F & G P Committee.

b. In each Division 1 competition there will be the following events: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m (or 10,000m), 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 3,000m steeplechase, 4´100m relay, 4´400m relay, High Jump, Long Jump, Pole Vault, Triple Jump, Shot Putt, Discus, Javelin and Hammer.

c. Guest 100m A & B races will be held at each match in addition to the scheduled A & B races. These guest races will be non-counting and open only to athletes eligible to compete in the League match. Appropriate team numbers must be worn.

d. A maximum of two guest athletes will be allowed to compete in each Division 2 event (with the exception of the 100m).

11.

a. At the conclusion of each match League points awarded will be directly related to the number of teams in the Division, e.g. 1^st place in an 8 team Division would get 8 points with 8^th place getting 1 point. Teams must score at least one Match point in order to score any League points.

b. In the event of failure to complete all events in a match the result of the match will stand if at least two thirds of all events have been completed.

c. The team with the highest number of League points in each Division shall be the winner of that Division. In the event of clubs tying on League points, total Match points will be decisive. In the event of Match points being equal the positions shall be decided by the total number of first places gained in matches etc.

d. The bottom two clubs in all Divisions after the season’s competition will be relegated and the top two clubs in Division 2 and below will be promoted.

e. If required, a qualifying competition will be held at the end of each season at which the programme of events will be decided by the F & G P Committee based on the events normally held in the lowest Division.

f. The Secretary will publish League Tables and all relevant data.

12.

Any protests, appeals or irregularities concerning any League match shall be notified to the General Secretary, in writing, within 14 days of the competition to which such protest etc. relates. Any such matter shall be dealt with by the F & G P Committee whose decision shall be final.

REGISTRATION SCHEME

The Registration Scheme exists to remove any possibility of ineligible athletes competing thereby avoiding unseemly disputes that are bad publicity for the League and to reduce the need for references to the F & G P Committee. The Registration Scheme shall operate as follows:

a. The League Registration Officer (LRO) shall be appointed by the Annual General Meeting.

b. All League Clubs must submit a list of competing athletes to the LRO on or before1^st April in the year of competition. The list must certify that all athletes on the list are bone fide First claim, Second claim and Higher Competition Club members eligible to compete in open competition on 1^st April. The list must be on form prepared by LRO and must state:-

ii.

iii.

iv.

Each athlete’s full name.

Each athlete’s date of birth.

Each athlete’s age group.

Each athlete’s status (First claim, Second claim or HCCM).

Each athlete’s Athletics Scotland number.

c. Submitted lists will be checked by the LRO. Club Secretaries have 10 days from date of posting to deal with queries passed to them by the LRO failing which the athlete concerned will be deemed ineligible for the 1^st round.

d. Up to four additional athletes may be registered on the day of each League match. A Registration form detailing the same information as on the original list must be handed in at the time the club team is declared.

e. If an ineligible athlete is included in a submitted list as eligible to compete and it is subsequently discovered after competing that the club knew or should have known of his ineligibility, all Match points gained by the athlete, including relays, shall be deducted from the total Match points. If a club is in doubt about an athlete, this should be clearly stated on the form submitted, but no athlete about whom there is any doubt as to eligibility should be included in subsequent lists.

f. Foreign and Commonwealth athletes shall not be considered as eligible to compete unless they shall have been members of their club and resident in the United Kingdom for three months prior to registration.