MINUTES

                                                                                               IFF CONGRESS

                                                                                               21.05 2004                      (1/5)

 

Place:                   Stadtsaal Schluefweg, Kloten, Switzerland

 

Participants:         According to enclosure 1

 

§ 1     Opening of the Congress by IFF President Mr. Tomas Eriksson

         Tomas Eriksson opened the Congress and introduced the mayor of Kloten, Bruno Heinzelmann.

         Mr. Heinzelmann greeted the participants welcome to Kloten hoping that all enjoyed the ongoing

         WFC.

 

Continuing the Congress Mr. Eriksson informed of the decision of the GAISF General Assembly on May 20, 2004, in Lausanne parallel to the WFC,       to grant the IFF ordinary membership of GAISF,
a decision that the Congress noted with pleasure and with an applaud.

 

         Mr. Eriksson further informed of the positive implications with the ordinary membership such as

         the possibility to apply for membership of the International World Games Association (IWGA)

inevitable leading to the possibility of participation in future World Games, next World Games played in Duisburg in Germany in July, 2005, and in 2009 most probably in Chinese Taipeh,  Taiwan. Mr. Eriksson informed that IFF has applied for observer status to IWGA to take part in the Duisburg 2005 World Games.

 

Mr. Eriksson informed on the status concerning Floorball´s application for IOC recognition to IOC that was handed in according to the procedure in November in 2003.  Mr. Eriksson stressed the importance to gain more members, and in particular ordinary members to IFF.

 

§ 2     Approval of present Associations and the voting roll (enclosure 1)

The Congress noted that 7 ordinary and 12 provisional member Associations where present and that 5 votes are needed for a 2/3 majority.

 

Mr. Eriksson stressed the fact that he was not at all pleased that ordinary members, Russia and Poland, were not present at the IFF Congress.

 

The Congress decided, that the voting roll was 7 ordinary members and that 5 votes are needed for a 2/3 majority.

 

§ 3     Approval of the agenda

The motion from Swiss FA concerning voting status of new ordinary members: “All members having been a provisional member for four or more years shall be automatically considered an ordinary member with all the rights and duties according to the statutes” was discussed.

 

The CB was in favour to the Swiss motion.

The Congress decided, unanimously, to handle the admission and expulsion of member Associations as point 4 in the agenda.

 

§ 4     Admission or expulsion of official member Associations

Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Singapore have applied for ordinary membership, and these four applications have been approved by the CB, to be decided in IFF Congress.

The IFF CB has further proposed, as a follow-up on the Congress decision 2002, that Hungary, Japan, Latvia, USA, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Great Britain and Slovakia shall automatically be granted ordinary membership, unless having objected to the proposal.

Belgium, Japan, and the USA have objected to the proposal in advance in writing. Belgium and  USA mainly due to economical reasons. Japan has informed IFF about the merging of all Floorball in Japan, and for that reason wanting to wait until the next IFF Congress. Great Britain had stressed some concern about the implications of ordinary membership, but was not against in principal.

 

§ 4     Continuation
Australia and Austria were asked in Congress by IFF President Mr. Eriksson and they objected to the proposal to be granted ordinary membership of IFF. Mr. Eriksson stressed the fact that this is not only an economical issue, on the contrary, an issue about membership rights and duties, and that all associations anyway will be considered, starting January 1st, 2006, as ordinary members in the sense paying the membership fee.

 

Great Britain was asked in Congress by IFF President Mr Eriksson and was in favour and accepted ordinary membership of IFF. Hungary and Latvia were also asked and were in favour and accepted ordinary membership of IFF.

The Congress decided to grant ordinary membership to Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Great Britain, Hungary and Latvia.

 

The Congress decided to update the voting roll now to be 14 ordinary and 5 provisional member Associations and that a 2/3 majority is 10 votes.

 

§ 5     Approval of the protocol of the last Congress in the case of article 33 paragraph 3

The Congress noted that the protocol from the last Congress has not been opposed to and is therefore automatically approved according to the statutes.

 

§ 6     Approval of the CB reports (enclosure 2)

Mr. Eriksson made a short resume from the plan of action decided upon in Helsinki for the period 2002-2004.

The Congress decided to approve the Annual report 2002-2004.

 

§ 7     Approval of the financial report and the auditors report

a) Calendar year 2002 (enclosure 3, 4, 5)

The treasurer Mr. Tomas Jonsson presented the Balance sheet and Statement of income for 2002.

 

The Auditor Mr. Mikael Brandstam presented the Auditors report for 2002.

 

The Congress decided to approve the financial report for 2002.

 

The Congress decided to approve the auditors report for 2002.

 

b) Calendar year 2003 (enclosure 6, 7, 8)

The treasurer Mr. Tomas Jonsson presented the Balance sheet and Statement of income for 2003.

 

The Auditor Mr. Mikael Brandstam presented the Auditors report for 2003.

 

The Congress decided to approve the financial report for 2003.

 

The Congress decided to approve the auditors report for 2003.

 

§ 8     Decision on freedom of responsibility for the CB

The Auditor Mr. Mikael Brandstam proposed the Central Board to be discharged from liability for
          the fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

 

The Congress decided to grant the Central Board freedom of responsibility for 2002 and 2003.

It was noted that that none were against.

 

§ 9     Decision on membership fee

IFF vice President Mr. John Liljelund presented the IFF CB proposal on changing the annual fee (enclosure 9).

 

The Congress decided, unanimously, to change the annual fee according to alternative 1 -

Basic fee both for ordinary as well as provisional member Associations and a player based fee.

 

 

 

§ 10   Approval of the budget and working plan for the next two years

a) Plan of action for the period 2004-2006 (enclosure 10)

Mr. Eriksson presented the plan of action for the period between the Congresses 2004 and 2006.

 

The Congress decided to approve the plan of action for the period 2004-2006.

 

b) Budget for the calendar years 2005 and 2006 (enclosure 11)

          Mr. Tomas Jonsson presented the budget for 2005 and 2006.

 

          The Congress decided to approve the budget for 2005 and 2006.

 

§ 11   Elections

Mr Ahde, President of the Finish FF presented the Finnish motion stressing the facts that SSBL´s standpoint was that the CB should consist of fewer members, due to the reasons, amongst others, to raise the efficiency. Since the CB would consist of six members, it would inevitably lead to only one member from one country, according to Mr. Ahde.

 

The Finnish Floorball Federation withdrew their proposal on that the CB should consist of 6

          members and maximum one member per country.

 

a) IFF President for two years

Vice President Mr. Liljelund informed that the only nomination for President is Mr. Tomas Eriksson, the present President.

 

The Congress decided, unanimously, to elect Mr. Tomas Eriksson as IFF President for two years.

 

b) Six to nine CB members for two years

The Congress noted that 8 persons have been nominated as CB members for two years and

that the Russian Floorball Union has stated that they will submit a person for election, but not

done that. 

 

The Congress decided, unanimously, to elect eight CB members according to the statutes,
          and to elect for two years the following members:

Mr. Thomas Gilardi, Switzerland           (re-election)

Mr. Per Jansson, Sweden                    (re-election)

Mr. Tomas Jonsson, Norway                (re-election)

Mr. Risto Kauppinen, Finland               (re-election)

Mr. John Liljelund, Finland                   (re-election)

Mr. Peter Lindström, Norway                (re-election)

Mr. Renato Orlando, Switzerland          (re-election)

Mr. Martin Vaculik, Czech Republic      (re-election)

 

c) Chairman and two members of the Disciplinary Committee

The Congress decided to elect Mr. Olav Hermansson, Finland as Chairman and Mr. Rudolf
          Buri, Switzerland and Mr. Krister Kalte, Sweden as members of the Disciplinary Committee.

 

Furthermore the Congress decided to put forward to the Central Board to ask for further

nominations and to appoint two substitutes of the Committee.

 

d) Chairman and two members of the Appeal Committee

The Congress decided to elect Mr. Lars Granqvist, Sweden as Chairman, Mr. Tom Hedkrok, Finland and Mr. Kjell Hovland-Olsen, Norway, as members of the Appeal Committee, and Mr. Peter Barkalov, Russia as substitute.

 

Furthermore the Congress decided to put forward to the Central Board to ask for further

nominations and to appoint one substitute of the Committee.

 

§ 12   Appointment of a chartered auditor

The IFF CB has proposed re-election of the present auditor Mr. Mikael Brandstam.

 

The Congress decided to elect Mr. Mikael Brandstam as auditor of IFF for two years.

 

§ 13   Examinations and decisions on proposals and motions of the members (enclosure 12)

          a) SUHV: Voting status of new ordinary members

The IFF President noted that the Swiss motion on voting status of new ordinary members already had been treated in § 3. Mr. Orlando, President of SUHV, was asked about the motion and withdrew the Swiss motion.

 

          b) SSBL: Office location to Helsinki as a new home base.

          Matti Ahde explained the background of the Finnish proposal, which is to increase the resources

          of IFF. Since the Finnish government financially supports when the office of an international

          federation of size is located in Finland this could be a good way for SSBL to support the IFF.

 

Mr. Eriksson informed the Congress that the CB was in favour to the Finnish proposal and

thanked Mr. Ahde for the proposal. Mr. Eriksson furthermore informed the Congress that the

legal seat still is in Switzerland under Swiss laws. Mr. Eriksson also informed the Congress that

it would be for the Central Board to divide tasks between employees and were to have them

stationed.

 

          The Congress was positive to the SSBL motion and put the proposal forward to the

          CB for implementation.

 

          Mr. Hans Botman, President of NeFUB (the Netherlands), thanked the Swedish Floorball

          Federation for their support during the years and the Finnish Floorball Federation for this

          support. Mr. Graham Lewis, President of Great Britain FF, thanked the Swedish FF for their

          support in the field of office contribution since 1996.

 

§ 14   Approval of Regulations within the meaning of article 15 paragraph 2 littera c)

          The Congress noted that there are no objections against any regulations.

 

§ 15   Decision on all affairs being reserved for the Congress by the statutes or by law

          The Congress noted that there are no affairs being reserved for the Congress by the statutes

          or by law not already treated in other paragraphs.

 

§ 16   Appointment to be honorary member

          The Congress noted that there is no proposal on honorary membership.

 

§ 17   Modification of the statutes (changes in statutes a 2/3 majority is needed)

Mr. Eriksson noted that the three motions, two from SUHV, and one from SSBL, were already dealt with by the CB in the CB proposal for changing the IFF statutes.

 

Mr. Eriksson furthermore apologized for the fact that there had been an administrative error in the proposed statutes concerning that it, still, should be six to nine members in the CB.

 

Mr. Eriksson also stressed the fact and informed the Congress that there was not any longer a proposal from the CB to have four year-elections for IFF President and IFF CB members. This question is to be dealt with for the coming IFF Congress in 2006.

 

a) IFF CB proposal (enclosure 13)

      The Congress decided, unanimously, to change the IFF Statutes according to the IFF CB

      proposal.

 

b) SUHV: Provisional members to automatically become ordinary members after 4 years

      The Swiss Floorball Association, represented by Mr. Orlando SUHV President, withdrew their
      motion since it is covered in the IFF CB proposal.

 

c) SUHV: Provisional membership may only be granted for four years 

      The Swiss Floorball Association, represented by Mr. Orlando SUHV President, withdrew their
      motion since it is covered in the IFF CB proposal.

 

d) SSBL: CB should consist of 6 members, maximum one per country

The Finnish Floorball Federation, represented by Mr. Ahde SSBL President, withdrew their
      motion.

 

 

§ 18   Dissolution of the IFF

          The Congress noted that there is no proposal on dissolution of the IFF.

 

§ 19   Decision on the meeting place for the next Congress

The IFF CB has proposed that the next Congress shall preliminary be held 26.05.2006 10:00 at the Stockholm Quality Globe Hotel, during the WFC 2006 in Sweden, Stockholm.

The Congress decided accordingly.

 

§ 20   Presentations on coming World Floorball Championships

Mr. Eriksson thanked the Spanish FA by presenting the IFF pendant to the Spanish FA for excellent organization of the first historic WFC C-division, with seven participating countries, in Madrid/ Leganes in April 2004.

 

The Congress continued with presentations on the upcoming WFC´s in 2004-2006.

 

·         WFC 2004 women U19 in Finland by SSBL

Mr. Miikka Seppälä presented the Women’s U19 World Championships, to be played in Finland in November 10-14, 2004.

 

·         WFC 2005 women in Singapore by SFA

Mr. Felix Hector Gomez and Ms. Lee Xueqiu presented the Women’s World Championships 2005, to be played in Singapore May 28 - June 5, 2005.

 

·         WFC 2005 men U19 in Latvia by LFU

Mr. Alfreds Kundzins presented the Men’s U19 World Championships 2005, to be played in Latvia October 25-30, 2005.

 

·         WFC 2006 men in Sweden by SIBF

Mr. Per Jansson presented the Men’s World Championships 2006, to be played in Sweden May 20-28, 2006.

 

§ 21   Closing of the Congress

Mr. Eriksson thanked the participants for their efficient work during the Congress.

 

Mr. Eriksson thanked Mr. Heinzelmann, the mayor of Kloten, for offering to all participants the

Apero.

 

Mr. Eriksson declared the Congress as closed at 13:15

 

 

 

 

Stefan Kratz                                       Tomas Eriksson

IFF Secretary General                        IFF President