WSF Constitution Overview

The World Skating Federation's Constitution has been published on our web site. It is a 38-page PDF-formatted document; it can be downloaded here.

Much of the WSF's organization will be familiar. The Congress is the primary governing body, with sole authority to make changes to the Constitution and General Regulations. Each Member (national governing body) has one vote in Congress. A 17-member Council has responsibility for determining the policies and overseeing the management of the WSF, including its financial matters. There are three Technical Committees -- for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing, and Synchronized Skating -- which are responsible for supervising judging and refereeing, conducting educational programs, and proposing rule changes to the Congress when necessary to reflect the evolution of the sport.

But there are also a number of innovative features in the WSF Constitution, which are central to our approach to governance. Specifically:

Athletes and coaches are explicitly included in the decision-making bodies and processes of the organization.
Athletes Representatives have voting rights in Congress and Council. The Chairperson of the Coaches' Committee is also a member of the Council. Each Technical Committee includes a representative from both the athletes and the coaches.
A system of zones will ensure broad geographic representation in the organization's leadership.
Members are assigned to one of five geographic zones; a sixth zone represents "Emerging Countries", where competitive skating programs are still in development. Each zone has one representative on the Council and each of the three Technical Committees. It is also required that the WSF President and Vice President come from different zones.
The WSF Constitution makes an explicit commitment to ethics.
The Constitution provides for an Ethics Committee with responsibility for developing, interpreting, and applying the WSF Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. The Constitution also establishes a Disciplinary Committee with the power to review and decide matters referred to it by the Ethics Committee, or other breaches of the WSF Constitution or Rules. This removes discipline (either the imposition of it or inertia to do so) from the political process.
The business side of the organization will be run as a business, according to modern business practices. Specific provisions regarding the transparency of financial policies and report are at the cutting edge of developments in the international business world.
The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer will be paid professional employees of the WSF. They may not simultaneously be office holders or officials of the WSF; they will not be able to set policy or even have a controlling influence on it. Their sole authority will be to implement decisions by, and instructions from, the Council.
The Constitution requires the publication of the audited annual financial statements of the organization, in keeping with the WSF's general commitment to openness and public accountability.

There are also special provisions designed to facilitate a transition process from the ISU to the WSF as to Members, Office Holders, Officials, and Honorary Members. The WSF is committed to maintaining the positive aspects of figure skating's heritage.

The authority of any Constitution always depends on the consent of the governed. As such, it will take effect once adopted by its members and in the form adopted by them. The WSF expects the approval process to occur either by written ratification of incoming Members or at the initial Congress of the WSF to be held in the first part of 2004. Until such time, the acting President and acting Vice President of the WSF will conduct the operations of the WSF as if the Constitution had already been adopted by the Members. Between now and the time the Members provide such approval, the persons who have worked to establish the WSF will continue to solicit ideas and input on the Constitution from those persons and institutions that would be governed by it. In what may be perceived as a contrast with the past, persons thus associated with the WSF will also continue to solicit ideas and input from the constituency that will make it all possible: the fans. Persons wishing to offer such ideas and input should feel free to send them to info@worldskating.org.