Moscow Dragons Rugby Football Club Constitution

1. Name of the Club

The Club’s name shall be the “Moscow Dragons Rugby Football Club”. This may at times be shortened to the “Moscow Dragons”, but for the purpose of this constitution shall hereafter be referred to as the “Club”.

2. Aims and Objectives

The Club is organised exclusively as a non-profit making organisation to promote the aims outlined below.

• To provide opportunities for members of the Club to play and enjoy rugby as a sporting, social and recreational activity.
• To enter teams in competitions and to assist in the promotion of such competitions.
• To encourage rugby under the laws of the International Rugby Union in all variations permitted by those laws.
• To promote and teach rugby, primarily but not exclusively, among expatriates and English-speaking locals in Moscow. English will be the common language.
• To encourage good sportsmanship and fair play.
• • Merchandise Member
  • To teach respect for the laws of the game, officials and players.

    3. Membership

    Membership of the Club will be available on payment of the membership fee and shall be open to all who wish to support the aims and objectives at #2 above. The Club shall be members of the Moscow Rugby Federation and the Russian Rugby Union.

    4. Subscriptions and Finance

    An annual membership fee is required from all Club members. The Club’s committee will determine this fee and are responsible for its collection. The Committee may decide on different categories and fees.

    The liability of non-executive members is at all times limited to the prescribed (annual) membership fee for the club. Elected officers are personally liable for any debtor obligations which are incurred by that officer or by any other person who has been able to appear to a third party as if they were acting on behalf of the club due to the negligence or recklessness of that officer. However, any debt or obligation incurred by a Committee Member while validly acting in their role as such (under the rules of the club), may be met by the funds and resources of the club.

    Officers of the Club cannot be held liable for debts or obligations incurred on behalf of the Club prior to their period of office unless they knowingly accept those debts.

    Any member of a Club who purports to incur a debt or obligation on behalf of the club while acting without due authorisation shall be personally liable for such a debt or obligation. A sum, determined by the Committee, will set the maximum amount that can be expended by a committee member. Approval for all expenditures in excess of this sum should be given by the Committee. This figure is currently set at $100, and no payment in excess of $100 will be made by a Club official, or other Club member, without approval of the Club Committee.

    The Committee may, at their discretion, indemnify in part or in whole an individual who has incurred such a debt if they believe that in all the circumstances it is justifiable to do so.

    No part of the net earnings of the Club shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to its members or officers except that the Club shall be authorised to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.

    In the event of dissolution of the Club, after paying or making provision for payment of all liabilities, all tangible assets shall be sold and all monies realised therefrom, together with any monies remaining shall be donated to a local charity. Rugby assets and equipment may be donated to the Moscow Federation or a local club.

    5. Club Officials

    The business of the club shall be conducted by the following positions on the Committee:

    • President
    • Vice President
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Head Coach
    • Club Captain
    • Ladies Team Representative (if applicable)
    • Fixtures Secretary
    • Equipment Manager
    • Social Secretary
    •           Advertising Member

  The Club officials shall be elected by members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting. They shall hold office for a period of one year, from 1 November to 31 October of the following year.

  A person may hold more than one position, however, the positions of President, Vice President, Club Captain, Secretary, and Treasurer should be held by separate people.

  The Coach may be appointed.

  Members of the Committee shall be nominated by the membership. To assist in identifying potential candidates, the Committee may form a nominating committee prior to the Annual General Meeting. Each nominee will indicate the position they are seeking on the Committee.

  A ballot will be held whereby each member of the Club, in attendance, will be entitled to vote for one candidate for each position. Absentee votes may be taken by a person, nominated by a majority of the Committee. The candidate with the highest number of votes will be considered elected to that position. In the event of a tie, a decision will be made by the first of the outgoing Club President, Club Captain or Vice President, who is not involved in the vote.

  Any member desiring to stand for election to the Committee, but unable to attend the Annual General Meeting, shall deliver to the secretary, before the Annual General Meeting, written notification, indicating the position they are willing to let their name stand for. This notification shall be dated and signed by the member.

  Any vacancy in the Committee may be filled by appointment by the Committee with a two-thirds majority vote. Positions, which fall vacant through the term of the Committee, may also be elected in this manner, except for Club President and Club Captain who should be elected at an extraordinary general meeting, conducted in the same manner as the Annual General Meeting.

  The Committee shall meet whenever the President deems it necessary, but not less than once every three months. A quorum at such meetings should be at least five officers, including the President, Vice President or Club Captain.

  Any member of the Committee, absenting him/herself without cause for three consecutive meetings, or willfully neglecting his/her duties to the Committee, may be relieved of their position by the Committee.

  Any officer of the Club may be removed from his or her position by an Extraordinary Meeting especially called for that purpose, providing a two-thirds majority of members present is obtained for such a removal. Such an Extraordinary Meeting shall be empowered to fill any vacancy caused by the removal or resignation of an office bearer.

  Club officials shall receive no direct or indirect payment, except for legitimate expenses incurred in connection with Club business.

  6. Duties of Club Officials

  President. This position carries overall responsibility of the Club. The President will chair Committee, Extraordinary and Annual General Meetings. He/she may delegate someone from the Committee to chair any meeting. The President has the privilege of the “tie breaker vote”. That is to say that the President will have a vote if the vote is tied after all members present have voted. The President is to see that the Club is run according to the Constitution. All decisions made by the President that relate to the Club must be ratified by the next General meeting of the Club Committee. The President will coordinate sponsorship.

  Vice President. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will take over all duties and responsibilities of the President. The Vice President shall have exposure to all facets of the Club. The Vice President shall maintain Club statistics.

  Treasurer. He/she shall handle the accounts of the Club along with the President and/or Vice President. The Treasurer will be the signing officer for the Club. No purchases shall be made without a purchase number and invoice. All funds will be given to the Treasurer for banking. The Treasurer may, from time to time, designate someone to collect funds.

  Secretary. He/she is responsible for preparing agendas and keeping accurate records at all meetings. In his/her absence a temporary replacement should be nominated. The Secretary is also responsible for correspondence, recording Club policies, maintaining a register of Club members and issuing annual membership cards. He/she shall administer the Club’s insurance policy.

  Head Coach. The Head Coach shall be responsible for defining a coaching strategy within the Club. He/she shall assemble a team to deal with coaching for all teams of the Club. He/she shall provide a high standard of instruction for the members. He/she shall liaise with Club Captain and Fixtures Secretary to ensure the correct fixtures for the level and aspirations of a team.

  Club Captain. The Club Captain is the Chief Club Representative of the Club’s playing interests. He/she should be the 1st Team Captain of choice, and lead the team whenever he is available to play.

  Ladies Team Representative. Whenever there is one or more Ladies Teams there shall be a representative of that team on the Committee to forward the specific interests of Ladies rugby.

  Fixtures Secretary. He/she is responsible for scheduling games, fields, gyms, field lining etc, and referees for home matches.

  Equipment Manager. He/she is responsible for purchasing, distributing, collecting and maintaining Club equipment. He/she shall conduct an annual audit of Club equipment and present his findings at the Annual General Meeting.

  Social Secretary. He/she is responsible for providing functions for rule 7 to apply to.

  Merchandise Member. He/she shall maintain a stock of Club merchandise to be sold to members or others, in order to increase Club income and/or raise Club profile.

  Public Relations Member. He/she is responsible for reporting Club statistics and other important Club information, as deemed necessary by the Committee. The Public Relations Officer is also responsible for updating the Club web site and/or any relevant newsletters.

  7. Meetings

  Annual General Meeting

  The Annual General Meeting shall be held prior to the 31si October of each calendar year.

  Notice of an Annual General Meeting must be made to all members, by the secretary, at least fourteen days before the meeting. The said notification should include date, time location and address for all nominations to the incoming committee.

  The order of business shall be as follows

  Call to Order
  Roll Call of Officers
  Reading of the Minutes
  Treasurer’s Report
  Reports of Outgoing Officers
  Unfinished Business
  Proposals
  Election of Officers
  New Business
  Adjournment

  Members wishing to move any resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall hand the resolution in writing to the Secretary not less than 4 days before the meeting.

  Extraordinary Meetings

  An Extraordinary Meeting may be called by the President to resolve a conflict or make any changes that cannot wait until the Annual General Meeting,

  An Extraordinary Meeting may be called by a two-thirds majority of the Committee. Notification procedure for this shall be the same as for an Annual General Meeting.

  Any 3 Club members may petition, in writing, for the convening of an Extraordinary Meeting of the Club, stating clearly their reasons. A Meeting thus convened should be held within 28 days of receipt of the petition.

  8. Voting

  Only Club members will be allowed to vote at meetings. Only one vote per member is allowed for each proposal. Proxy votes shall not be accepted, but postal votes in the case of election of new officers shall be accepted.

  Only playing members shall vote for the Club Captain.

  9. Constitutional Changes

  Proposed constitutional amendments, duly signed by the proposer and seconder, must be in writing to the Club Secretary 28 days before an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting. The Secretary shall give each member of the Committee at least 14 days notice of such proposed amendments.

  Constitutional amendments shall not be adopted unless they receive a two-thirds majority vote of members present.

  10. Club Complaints Procedure

  A complaints procedure shall be created to allow Club members to raise complaints about issues concerning the running of the Club.

  In the first instance complaints should be addressed to the Club President. If this does not prove satisfactory, a written complaint should be made to another Committee member who is obliged to raise the issue at the next Committee meeting. A written reply shall be made within seven days of the Committee meeting.

  11. Union Commitments

  One or more representatives from the Club shall attend Moscow Federation meetings.

  12. Colours

  Club colours shall be Navy Blue and Gold. Playing strips of other colours may be permitted for tournaments, for a change strip, or other reasons as agreed by the Committee.

  13. Insurance

  The Club does not currently subscribe to an insurance policy. The Club shall endeavour to ensure that all players and officials are made aware that insurance is an individual responsibility and that each player is covered by at least a minimal level of insurance.
  The Club may in the future subscribe to an insurance policy should it become feasible to do so.

  14. Discipline

  A Playing Committee, consisting of Club President, Club Captain, Vice President, Head Coach and Ladies Team Representative (where relevant) shall deal with playing discipline in the Club as a whole. It shall be known that all members of the Playing Committee will perform this function.

  The Playing Committee may review and suspend, or impose other punishment, for each player or official sent from the field of play during any game, or for other incidents prejudicial to the good standing of the club.

  The Playing Committee may summon before it any coach, player, official or other party in order to enquire into any offense.

  The Playing Committee shall have the authority to remove any player, coach or official, given sufficient grounds.

  15. Declaration

  As a Club Official I agree to abide by and enforce the rules of the Club Constitution and office to which I hold.

  President …
  Vice President …
  Secretary …
  Treasurer …
  Head Coach …
  Club Captain …
  Ladies Team Representative (if applicable) …
  Fixtures Secretary …
  Equipment Manager …
  Social Secretary …
  Merchandise Member …
  Advertising Member …