Statutes of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran – 2020 edition

Adoption	1399 — General Assembly of the Football Federation
Status	Governing version

List of articles (88 articles)

1. 1Name, seat, legal form
2. 2Objectives
3. 3Neutrality, independence and non-discrimination
4. 4Promotion of friendly relations
5. 5Players
6. 6Laws of the Game
7. 7Conduct of bodies and officials
8. 8Official languages
9. 9Admission, suspension and expulsion
10. 10Members and admission
11. 11Membership application and its procedure
12. 12Rights of members
13. 13Obligations of members
14. 14Suspension
15. 15Expulsion
16. 16Resignation
17. 17Independence of members and their bodies
18. 18Status of clubs, leagues, associations and other groups
19. 19Honorary president and honorary member
20. 20Bodies of the Federation
21. 21Definition and composition of the General Assembly
22. 22Delegates and votes
23. 23Powers of the General Assembly
24. 24Quorum of the General Assembly
25. 25Decisions of the General Assembly
26. 26Elections
27. 27Ordinary General Assembly
28. 28Agenda of the Ordinary General Assembly
29. 29Extraordinary General Assembly
30. 30Amendment of the Statutes, the Assembly standing orders and the electoral regulations
31. 31Minutes
32. 32Entry into force of decisions
33. 33Composition of the Executive Committee
34. 34Meetings of the Executive Committee
35. 35Powers of the Executive Committee
36. 36Decision-making in the Executive Committee
37. 37Removal of a member of a body
38. 38President of the Federation
39. 39Candidates for the office of President of the Federation
40. 40Standing committees
41. 41Competitions Committee
42. 42Technical and Development Committee
43. 43Referees Committee
44. 44Committee for the Drafting and Harmonisation of Regulations
45. 45Women's Committee
46. 46Youth Committee
47. 47Futsal Committee
48. 48Medical Committee
49. 49Players' Status Committee
50. 50Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee
51. 51Media Committee
52. 52Strategy Committee
53. 53Marketing and Television Committee
54. 54Provincial Affairs Committee
55. 55Beach Soccer Committee
56. 56Education Committee
57. 57Ad hoc committees
58. 58Licensing body
59. 59Organisational independence
60. 60Audit Committee
61. 61Electoral committees
62. 62Judicial bodies
63. 63Disciplinary Committee and Ethics Committee
64. 64Appeal Committee
65. 65Disciplinary sanctions
66. 66Administration
67. 67General Secretary
68. 68Arbitration
69. 69Jurisdiction
70. 70Financial period
71. 71Income
72. 72Expenditure
73. 73Independent external auditor
74. 74Treasurer
75. 75Membership fees
76. 76Settlement of accounts
77. 77Competition entry fees
78. 78Competitions
79. 79Club licensing
80. 80Rights
81. 81Granting of exploitation licences
82. 82International matches and competitions
83. 83Relations
84. 84Approval
85. 85Unforeseen events and force majeure
86. 86Dissolution
87. 87Provisional legal form
88. 88Implementation

Definitions

The following terms are used with the meanings stated:

IRIFF: the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

FIFA: the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

AFC: the Asian Football Confederation.

Association: a football association recognised by FIFA and by the relevant confederation. An association is a member of FIFA unless another meaning follows from the context.

League (professional or amateur): competitions organised by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in which its affiliated clubs participate within the Federation's sphere of authority. (Within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran)

Provincial associations: an organisation affiliated to the Federation.

Confederation: a group of associations recognised by FIFA that belong to one continent (or a comparable geographical region).

Club: a member of an association (which is a member of FIFA and a member of the relevant confederation) or a member of a league recognised by an association, having at least one team in competitions.

Official: any member of the Executive Committee, members of committees, the General Secretary and staff, match organisation personnel including but not limited to referees and assistant referees, and so forth, members of the boards of directors and managing directors of clubs, coaches and all members of the technical, medical and administrative staff of FIFA, the confederation, the Federation, the associations, the leagues and the clubs, as well as any other person bound to observe the Statutes of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation (with the exception of players and intermediaries).

Player: a football player registered by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

General Assembly: the supreme and legislative body of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Executive Committee: the executive body of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, elected by the General Assembly.

Member: a legal person admitted to membership of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the General Assembly.

Delegate: a natural person who is the legal representative of a member in the General Assembly.

Football: the game controlled and organised on the basis of the Laws of the Game by FIFA, the confederations or the associations.

Laws of the Game: the laws drawn up by the IFAB (International Football Association Board) on the basis of the relevant provisions of the FIFA Statutes.

IFAB: the International Football Association Board.

Ordinary court: the courts of the country (the judiciary) which adjudicate public and private legal disputes.

CAS: the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (Switzerland).

Note: terms referring to a natural person cover both genders (female and male). Any term in the singular denotes the plural and vice versa.

Part One — General provisions

#Article 1Name, seat, legal form

1.The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental institution with legal personality, established in accordance with the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and for an unlimited duration.

2.The seat of the Football Federation is in Tehran.

3.The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of FIFA and the AFC.

4.The flag, emblem, abbreviated name and logo of the Federation are registered in accordance with the legal formalities in force in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

#Article 2Objectives

The objectives of the Football Federation are:

1.To develop the game of football and to promote, organise and control it within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of fair play and its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, in particular through development and youth programmes.

2.To organise football competitions in all their forms at national level; where the organisation of these competitions is delegated to the leagues, the scope of authority and duties of that sector must be precisely defined.

3.To draw up regulations and rules and to ensure their implementation.

4.To safeguard the interests of the members of the Federation.

5.To respect and prevent any violation of the statutes, laws, directives and decisions of FIFA, the AFC and the Federation, as well as the Laws of the Game, and to ensure that the members of the Federation

likewise respect them.

6.To promote integrity, ethics and fair play with a view to preventing all practices and conduct such as corruption, doping or match manipulation which may jeopardise the integrity of matches, competitions, players, officials and members of the Federation, or lead to the abuse of football, futsal and beach soccer.

7.To control and supervise the organisation of all friendly matches in all their forms within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

8.To control, organise and supervise all football, futsal and beach soccer matches, whether national or international, within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the basis of the statutes and relevant regulations of FIFA and the AFC.

9.To manage international sporting relations connected with football in all its forms.

10.To host competitions at international and other levels.

11.To organise all matters relating to refereeing, anti-doping, the registration of players, club licensing, the issuing of disciplinary decisions including ethical misconduct, and all measures necessary to safeguard the integrity of matches.

12.To develop grassroots football, futsal and beach soccer in line with the country's grassroots sport strategy.

#Article 3Neutrality, independence and non-discrimination

1.The Federation is neutral in political and religious matters.

2.The Federation shall be independent and shall avoid any unjustified political interference. The Federation shall administer its affairs independently and ensure that its affairs are not influenced by any third party.

3.The Federation is committed to respecting all internationally recognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights. Any discrimination against a country, a natural person or a group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnicity, national or social origin, gender, disability, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth status or any other status, or on any other ground, is strictly prohibited, and those who breach this rule are liable to suspension, expulsion and/or disciplinary sanctions.

#Article 4Promotion of friendly relations

1.The Federation shall promote friendly relations among its members, clubs, officials and players, and also within society, for humanitarian purposes.

2.Every person and organisation involved in football is bound to observe the Statutes, the regulations and the principles of fair play, as well as the principles of loyalty, ethical integrity and sportsmanship.

3.The Federation shall provide the organisational means required for the settlement of internal disputes that may arise between the members, clubs, officials and players of the Federation.

#Article 5Players

1.The regulations governing the status of players and their transfers shall be approved by the Executive Committee of the Federation in accordance with the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players in force.

2.Players shall be registered in accordance with the regulations of the Federation.

#Article 6Laws of the Game

1.The Federation and each of its members shall organise football matches in accordance with the rules adopted by the International Football Association Board. Only the International Football Association Board may lay down or amend the Laws of the Game.

2.The Federation and each of its members shall organise futsal and beach soccer matches in accordance with the futsal and beach soccer regulations. Only FIFA may lay down or amend the laws of the game for futsal and beach soccer.

#Article 7Conduct of bodies and officials

All bodies and officials of the Federation are obliged, in their activities, to observe the statutes, regulations, rules, decisions and codes of ethics of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation.

#Article 8Official languages

1.The official languages of the Federation are Persian and English. Official documents and texts shall be drawn up in this language / these languages. In the event of any discrepancy in the interpretation of texts in different languages, the text drawn up in Persian shall prevail.

2.The official language of the General Assembly is Persian.

Part Two — Membership

#Article 9Admission, suspension and expulsion

1.The General Assembly decides on the admission, suspension or expulsion of members.

2.An application for membership shall be accepted only if the applicant satisfies all the conditions laid down in the Statutes of the Federation.

3.Membership ends as a result of resignation or expulsion. The termination of membership does not release the member from its financial obligations towards the Federation or the other members, but it entails the loss of all its rights in relation to the Federation.

#Article 10Members and admission

1.The members of the Federation are:

(a) clubs

(b) the League Organisation (comprising the men's and women's football, futsal and beach soccer leagues)

(c) the provincial football associations

(d) players (as natural persons)

(e) referees (as natural persons)

(f) coaches (as natural persons)

(g) the football section of the School Sports Federation

(h) the football section of the University Sports Federation

(i) the football section of the Physical Education of the Armed Forces

(j) the football section of the Workers' Sports Federation

(k) unions, associations and non-governmental organisations active in football

2.Any legal person wishing to become a member of the Federation shall submit a written application to the secretariat of the Federation.

3.The following documents and supporting materials must be attached to the membership application:

(a) a copy of the valid and lawful statutes of the legal person and its other regulations, together with a valid permit for sporting activity.

(b) a declaration that the applicant undertakes to comply with the statutes, regulations and decisions of the Federation, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, and to ensure that these are complied with by the members, clubs, officials and players affiliated to the applicant for membership.

(c) a declaration that the applicant undertakes to comply with the Laws of the Game in force as adopted by the International Football Association Board and the laws of the game for futsal and beach soccer as adopted by FIFA.

(d) a declaration that, for the interpretation and implementation of the statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation, it will not have recourse to the ordinary courts, unless the regulations of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, the Federation or mandatory national law permit or expressly provide for such recourse.

(e) a declaration recognising the judicial bodies of the Federation and recognising the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, as provided for in these Statutes.

(f) a declaration that the applicant for membership is located and registered in the Islamic Republic of Iran (where registration is required)

(g) a declaration that the member undertakes to play all its official home matches within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

(h) a declaration that the applicant's legal structure is such as to guarantee that decisions are taken independently of any third party, and that its officials are elected or appointed on the basis of a mechanism guaranteeing the complete independence of the election or appointment of the persons concerned.

(i) a list of the officials authorised to sign documents and to conclude binding contracts with third parties.

(j) a declaration that the applicant undertakes to organise or take part in friendly matches only with the prior authorisation of the Federation.

(k) a copy of the minutes of the last general assembly or of the minutes of the founding assembly.

#Article 11Membership application and its procedure

1.The Executive Committee shall request the General Assembly to decide on the acceptance or rejection of an applicant for membership. The applicant may present its arguments for the membership application to the General Assembly.

2.As soon as the membership application is accepted, the new member shall acquire all the rights and duties of a member. Its delegates shall immediately be able to cast votes and to stand for election.

#Article 12Rights of members

1.The members of the Assembly of the Federation have the following rights:

(a) to take part in the General Assembly (subject to the conditions laid down in article 22 of these Statutes), to receive the agenda of the General Assembly before the Assembly is convened (all members), to be convened to the General Assembly within the prescribed time and to vote at the General Assembly (subject to the conditions laid down in article 22 of these Statutes).

(b) to submit proposals for inclusion in the agenda of the General Assembly (all members).

(c) to propose candidates for the elections of all bodies of the Federation (all members).

(d) to be informed of the affairs of the Federation through its official bodies (all members).

(e) to take part in the competitions and other sporting activities of the Federation (all members).

(f) to enjoy all rights arising from the Statutes and regulations of the Federation (all members).

2.The exercise of these rights is subject to the fulfilment of the other conditions laid down in these Statutes and in other applicable regulations. The membership rights of natural persons who are members of the General Assembly of the Federation (players, referees, coaches) are exercised through their delegates as set out in article 22 of these Statutes.

#Article 13Obligations of members

1.The members of the Federation have the following obligations:

(a) members are bound at all times to comply with and implement in full, themselves and through their members, the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation.

(b) to ensure that their decision-making bodies are elected (at least every four years)

(c) to take part in the competitions and other sporting activities organised by the Federation.

(d) to pay the membership fee.

(e) to respect the Laws of the Game as adopted by the International Football Association Board and the laws of the game for futsal and beach soccer as adopted by FIFA, and to ensure that the provisions of their statutes oblige their members to comply with these rules.

(f) to adopt a provision in their statutes expressly providing that any dispute of the member and its affiliated members concerning the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, the Federation and their leagues which requires adjudication and dispute resolution shall, as referred to in the Statutes of FIFA and of the Federation, be referred exclusively to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, whose seat is in Lausanne, Switzerland, and that recourse to the ordinary courts is generally prohibited, provided that this does not infringe mandatory law.

(g) to administer their affairs with complete independence and to ensure that their affairs are not influenced by any third party in accordance with article 17 of these Statutes.

(h) to ensure that their bodies are elected or appointed on the basis of a procedure guaranteeing the complete independence of the election or appointment of the persons concerned.

(i) to notify the Federation of any amendment to their statutes and internal regulations, as well as of changes relating to the list of officials and authorised signatories and of the persons who may sign binding contracts and documents with third parties.

(j) not to maintain any relations of a sporting nature with persons who have been suspended or expelled or who are not recognised.

(k) to observe the principles of loyalty, ethical and behavioural integrity and good sporting conduct as the basis of fair play, by providing for and adopting a statutory provision to that effect.

(l) to comply with the mandatory requirements set out in article 10 paragraph 3 of these Statutes throughout the period of their membership.

(m) to register members and to keep the list of members up to date.

(n) to adopt statutes complying with the requirements set out in the Statutes of the Football Federation.

(o) to comply fully and precisely with the other requirements and duties arising from the statutes and other regulations of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation.

2.Breach of the above obligations by any member may lead to the sanctions set out in these Statutes.

#Article 14Suspension

1.The suspension of a member of the Federation falls within the powers of the General Assembly. However, the Executive Committee may suspend a member which repeatedly and/or seriously breaches its obligations, and the decision of the Executive Committee shall take effect immediately. Such suspension shall remain in force until the next General Assembly unless the Executive Committee lifts the suspension in the meantime.

2.The suspension of a member must be confirmed by a three-quarters majority of the members present and eligible to vote at the next General Assembly. Failing such confirmation, the suspension shall lapse automatically.

3.A suspended member loses all rights arising from membership. The other members of the Federation may not maintain sporting relations with the suspended member. The Disciplinary Committee may impose further sanctions on the suspended member.

4.Members which do not take part in the sporting activities of the Federation for two consecutive years have no right to vote at the General Assembly, and their delegates may not be elected or appointed until they fulfil their obligations in this regard.

#Article 15Expulsion

1.The General Assembly may expel a member under the following conditions:

(a) if it fails to fulfil its financial obligations towards the Federation.

(b) if it repeatedly breaches the statutes, regulations, directives or decisions of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Federation.

(c) if it has recourse to an ordinary court to settle a dispute, except in cases where the applicable regulations and rules of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation or the Federation permit or expressly provide for recourse to an ordinary court.

2.The expulsion of a member is possible only if a majority (more than) 50% of the members eligible to vote are present at the General Assembly, and the proposal for expulsion must be approved by a three-quarters majority of the valid votes cast.

#Article 16Resignation

1.A member may resign from membership of the Federation, and such resignation takes effect after the end of the competition season. The letter of resignation must be submitted to the secretariat of the Federation at least six months before the end of the competition season.

2.The resignation shall be valid only if the resigning member has fulfilled all its financial obligations towards the Federation and the other members.

#Article 17Independence of members and their bodies

1.Each member shall administer its affairs independently and without being influenced by third parties.

2.The bodies of members shall be elected or appointed. The statutes of members must provide for a democratic procedure guaranteeing the complete independence of the election or appointment of their bodies.

3.Any body of a member that has not been elected or appointed in accordance with paragraph 2 shall not be recognised by the Federation, even if on an interim basis.

4.Decisions of bodies of members that have not been elected or appointed in accordance with paragraph 2 shall not be recognised by the Federation.

#Article 18Status of clubs, leagues, associations and other groups

1.Clubs, leagues, associations or other groups affiliated to the Federation shall be recognised by the Federation and shall be subordinate to it. Within the territory of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran there shall be only one league as the highest competition level. These Statutes determine the scope of competence, the rights and the duties of these clubs, leagues, associations and groups. Their statutes and regulations must be approved by the Executive Committee of the Federation. The Football Federation bears the primary responsibility for regulating matters relating to refereeing, anti-doping, the registration of players, club licensing, the imposition of disciplinary measures including ethical misconduct, as well as the measures required to protect the integrity of matches.

2.Clubs and groups that are members of the Federation shall act independently of any external body in taking their decisions relating to membership of the Federation. Their organisational structure has no bearing on this obligation.

3.No natural or legal person (including subsidiary and affiliated companies) may, on any basis whatsoever, control or manage more than one club or group where the integrity of any competition or match would thereby be jeopardised.

Part Three — Honorary president and honorary member

#Article 19Honorary president and honorary member

1.The General Assembly may confer the title of honorary president or honorary member on a person in recognition of that person's valuable services to football.

2.Such candidates are proposed by the Executive Committee.

3.The honorary president and honorary members may attend the General Assembly. They may take part in the debates but have no right to vote.

4.By virtue of the position they hold, the Minister of Sport and Youth is an honorary member of the General Assembly and is entitled to receive the agenda of the Assembly and to take part in its debates but has no right to vote.

Part Four — Structure

#Article 20Bodies of the Federation

1.The General Assembly is the supreme and legislative body of the Federation.

2.The Executive Committee is the executive body of the Federation.

3.The standing and ad hoc committees assist and advise the Executive Committee in the performance of its duties. Their duties, composition and functioning are defined in these Statutes or in other regulations adopted by the Executive Committee.

4.The administration is the administrative body of the Federation.

5.The independent bodies carry out their functions in accordance with these Statutes and the relevant regulations. The independent bodies comprise the independent committees and the judicial bodies.

6.The independent committees comprise the Audit Committee and the electoral committees.

7.The Disciplinary Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Appeal Committee are the judicial bodies of the Federation.

8.The licensing body is responsible for club licensing within the Federation.

9.The members of the bodies of the Federation shall be elected or appointed in accordance with the procedure set out in these Statutes and without any external influence. The members of the bodies of the Federation must not have any criminal conviction incompatible with their responsibilities.

10.Where a conflict of interest exists or may exist, the members of the bodies of the Federation shall refrain from taking part in the deliberations and decision-making. The members of the bodies of the Federation shall at all times be aware of the FIFA Code of Ethics regarding conflicts of interest and shall conduct themselves accordingly (for example, by refraining from performing the duties entrusted to them and informing their president of the potential conflict of interest, and similar measures).

Chapter One: The General Assembly

#Article 21Definition and composition of the General Assembly

1.The General Assembly is a meeting held regularly with the participation of the members of the Federation. The General Assembly meets at least once a year and is the supreme and legislative authority of the Federation. The General Assembly is competent to take decisions only if it has been constituted in the manner laid down in the Statutes.

2.The General Assembly is held either as an ordinary or as an extraordinary assembly.

3.The President of the Federation chairs the General Assembly in accordance with these Statutes and the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly.

4.The General Assembly may appoint observers to attend the General Assembly without the right to vote or to speak.

5.Honorary presidents and honorary members may attend the General Assembly. They may take part in the debates but have no right to vote.

#Article 22Delegates and votes

1.The General Assembly of the Federation is composed of the following members:

(a) each of the clubs of the men's senior professional football league. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(b) the first eight clubs taking part in the men's senior first division football league in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(c) the first four clubs in the men's senior second division football league competitions in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(d) the first three clubs of the men's senior futsal premier league in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(e) the first two clubs in the men's senior beach soccer premier league competitions in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(f) the first two clubs in the women's senior futsal premier league competitions in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(g) the first club in the women's senior beach soccer competitions in the season preceding the General Assembly. One delegate with one vote.

(h) the first two clubs in the women's senior football premier league competitions in the season preceding the General Assembly. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(i) the provincial football associations and the Kish Island football association. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(j) the football sections of the School Sports, University Sports, Workers' Sports and Armed Forces federations. Each with one delegate and one vote.

(k) the first-choice captains (or, where the first-choice captain cannot be invited, the second captain) of all the senior national football, futsal and beach soccer teams (men's and women's) as delegates of the players. Six persons in total, each with one vote.

(l) the head coaches of the men's senior national football, futsal and beach soccer teams and the head coaches of the women's senior national football, futsal and beach soccer teams as delegates of the coaches. If the head coach of any national team is not an Iranian national, that coach's Iranian assistant takes their place in the Assembly. Six persons in total, each with one vote.

(m) one female referee and one male referee who are active in Iranian football and hold the highest position in the ranking of active international referees. Two persons in total, each with one vote.

(n) the Football Clubs Union. One delegate with one vote.

2.Delegates must belong to the member they represent and must have been elected or appointed by the competent body of that member. They must also be able to produce evidence of this on request.

3.Only delegates present at the General Assembly have the right to vote. Voting by letter or by proxy is not permitted. The vote of clubs is cast by the managing director and the vote of the associations by the president of the association. Where the managing director of a club is unable to attend, a member of the club's board of directors, and where the president of an association is unable to attend, the vice-president or the secretary of the association, shall attend the General Assembly as a substitute upon presentation of a valid letter of introduction from the club or association.

4.The Executive Committee and the General Secretary of the Federation attend the General Assembly without the right to vote and, during their term of office in the Federation, may not be appointed as delegates of the members of the General Assembly.

5.The members referred to in points (a) to (h) of this article are determined on the basis of the standings table of the last competition season completed before the date of the Assembly.

6.Where competitions are held in several groups, the delegates to the General Assembly shall be selected equally from each group on the basis of the highest placings.

7.In the event of the dissolution of any club which is a member of the General Assembly under these Statutes, the next club on the standings table of the last competition season shall take its place.

8.All delegates to the General Assembly must hold Iranian nationality.

#Article 23Powers of the General Assembly

The powers of the General Assembly are as follows:

(a) to adopt or amend the Statutes of the Federation, the electoral regulations and the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly.

(b) to appoint three of the members of the General Assembly to examine the minutes and to approve the minutes of the previous General Assembly.

(c) to appoint three vote counters to count the votes and to assist the General Secretary in distributing the ballot papers.

(d) to elect or remove the President, the vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee of the Federation.

(e) to elect or remove the chairperson, the deputy chairperson and the members of the independent bodies (the Audit Committee, the electoral committees and the judicial bodies) on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

(f) to approve the financial statements.

(g) to approve the report of the independent external auditor.

(h) to approve the budget.

(i) to approve the annual activity report.

(j) to appoint the independent external auditor (for a term of two years) on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

(k) to approve the amount of the membership fee on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

(l) to confer the titles of honorary president or honorary member on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

(m) to admit, suspend or expel members.

(n) to remove members of the bodies of the Federation.

(o) to dissolve the Federation.

(p) to take decisions at the request of any member in accordance with these Statutes, or to take decisions on matters entrusted to the General Assembly under these Statutes.

(q) to appoint the Treasurer on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

#Article 24Quorum of the General Assembly

1.Decisions of the General Assembly are valid only if a majority (more than) 50% of the members eligible to vote are present at the General Assembly.

2.If the above quorum is not reached, a second General Assembly shall be convened within 24 hours with the same agenda as before.

3.At the second General Assembly, the above quorum need not be reached unless one of the items on the agenda is the amendment of the Statutes of the Federation, the election of the President, a vice-president or members of the Executive Committee, the election of the members of any of the independent bodies of the Federation, the removal of the members of one of the bodies of the Federation, the expulsion of a member of the Federation or the dissolution of the Federation.

#Article 25Decisions of the General Assembly

1.Where a vote is required, votes are cast by a show of hands or by electronic voting. If a vote on a proposal by a show of hands does not produce a fully clear result, the vote shall be taken by calling out the names of the delegates of the members of the General Assembly in alphabetical order.

2.For a decision to be valid, a majority (more than) 50% of the valid votes cast is sufficient, unless otherwise expressly provided in these Statutes. Blank votes, invalid votes or electronic votes that have been tampered with in any way, as well as abstentions, are not taken into account in calculating the majority.

#Article 26Elections

1.Elections are held by position and by secret ballot.

2.The elections of the Federation, of the members of the Federation and of the members of the Federation shall be conducted in accordance with the electoral regulations of the Federation.

3.For the election of the President, a majority (more than) 50% of the valid votes cast is required. If there are more than two candidates for the office of President of the Federation, those receiving the fewest votes shall be eliminated for the second round so that only two candidates remain. If, in the first round, more than two candidates receive the highest number of votes (owing to a tie), all of them shall proceed to the second round. In the second round, the candidate receiving the most votes shall be the President of the Federation.

4.After the election of the President, the General Assembly shall vote on the candidates presented by the President for the offices of first, second and third vice-president. For the election of the vice-presidents, a majority (more than) 50% of the valid votes cast is required. If the General Assembly does not elect one or more of these candidates by a majority (more than) 50%, the President shall present another candidate / other candidates to the General Assembly for election within a maximum of three months from the date of the close of the General Assembly. The Executive Committee shall then convene an extraordinary elective General Assembly.

5.For the election of the other members of the Executive Committee, the candidates receiving the most votes for the position in question are elected.

6.For the election of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the independent bodies of the Federation (the Audit Committee, the electoral committees and the judicial bodies), the candidates receiving the most votes for the position in question are elected.

7.In the event of a tie, voting shall continue in accordance with these Statutes until one person is finally elected.

8.Elections are valid only if at least two-thirds of the delegates of the members of the Assembly who are eligible to vote take part in the relevant elective assembly.

#Article 27Ordinary General Assembly

1.An Ordinary General Assembly shall be held every year.

2.The Executive Committee of the Federation determines the date and place of the General Assembly. The members of the General Assembly must be informed in writing of the date and place of the General Assembly at least seventy days before it is held.

3.The formal convocation must be sent to the members at least twenty-one days before the date of the General Assembly. The agenda, the activity report, the financial statements, the auditor's report and the other documents relating to the agenda must be sent together with this convocation.

#Article 28Agenda of the Ordinary General Assembly

1.The General Secretary of the Federation draws up the agenda on the basis of the proposals of the Executive Committee and of the members. Any member wishing to submit a proposal to the General Assembly must submit its proposal in writing, with a brief explanation, to the secretariat of the Assembly at least fifty days before the date of the General Assembly.

2.The agenda of the General Assembly must include the following mandatory items (in chronological order):

(a) declaration that the meeting is quorate and has been convened in accordance with the Statutes of the Federation.

(b) approval of the agenda.

(c) address by the President of the Federation.

(d) appointment of three persons from among the members of the Assembly to examine the minutes of the Assembly.

(e) appointment of three vote counters.

(f) admission, suspension or expulsion of members (where necessary).

(g) approval of the minutes of the previous General Assembly.

(h) presentation of the activity report and its approval (covering the activities carried out since the date of the previous General Assembly).

(i) presentation of the consolidated and restated financial statements and the profit and loss statement.

(j) approval of the audited financial statements.

(k) presentation of the programme and budget and their approval.

(l) vote on the proposed amendments to the Statutes, the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly and the electoral regulations (where there are amendments).

(m) discussion of the proposals submitted by the Executive Committee of the Federation and by the members, subject to the requirements set out in paragraph 1 of this article.

(n) appointment of the independent external auditor on a proposal from the Executive Committee (where necessary).

(o) removal of members of the bodies of the Federation (where necessary).

(p) election of the President, the vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee of the Federation (where necessary).

(q) election of the members of the judicial bodies on a proposal from the Executive Committee (where necessary).

(r) election of the members of the Audit Committee on a proposal from the Executive Committee (where necessary).

(s) election of the members of the electoral committees on a proposal from the Executive Committee (where necessary).

(t) appointment of the Treasurer on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

3.The General Assembly may not take decisions on matters not included in the agenda.

4.The agenda of the General Assembly may be amended only if three-quarters of the members present at the General Assembly who are eligible to vote agree to the proposed amendment of the agenda.

#Article 29Extraordinary General Assembly

1.Whenever two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee so request, the Executive Committee of the Federation may convene an Extraordinary General Assembly.

2.If two-fifths of the members of the General Assembly request the holding of an Extraordinary General Assembly, they must each individually submit a written request to the administration of the Federation specifying the proposed items to be included in the agenda of the Extraordinary General Assembly. The Extraordinary General Assembly must be held within seventy days from the date of receipt of the above request. If, despite compliance with the above requirements, the Executive Committee does not convene the Extraordinary General Assembly, the members of the General Assembly who requested it may convene it themselves. To that end, they must inform the Executive Committee and all the members of the General Assembly of the date and place of the Extraordinary General Assembly and send them the agenda in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article. As a last resort, the delegates of the members of the Assembly may request the assistance of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

3.The date, place and agenda of the Extraordinary General Assembly must be communicated in writing to all the members of the General Assembly at least twenty-one days before the date on which the General Assembly is held.

4.Where the Extraordinary General Assembly is convened at the request of the Executive Committee of the Federation, its agenda is likewise determined by the Executive Committee. Where the Extraordinary General Assembly is convened at the request of the members of the General Assembly, the agenda must contain the items raised by them.

5.The agenda of the Extraordinary General Assembly may not be amended.

#Article 30Amendment of the Statutes, the Assembly standing orders and the electoral regulations

1.The amendment of the Statutes, the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly and the electoral regulations falls within the powers of the General Assembly.

2.Any proposal by the Executive Committee or by the members of the General Assembly concerning an amendment of the Statutes must be submitted in writing to the administration of the Federation together with a brief explanation. Amendments proposed by a member of the General Assembly may be put before the General Assembly only if at least ten other members of the General Assembly individually support them in writing.

3.For a vote on amendments to the Statutes, the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly and the electoral regulations to be valid, a majority (more than) 50% of the members of the General Assembly who are eligible to vote must be present at the General Assembly.

4.A proposal to amend the Statutes, the standing orders for the conduct of the Assembly and the electoral regulations is adopted only if more than two-thirds of the members present at the General Assembly who are eligible to vote agree to it.

#Article 31Minutes

The General Secretary of the Federation is responsible for recording the minutes of the General Assembly. The minutes of the General Assembly must be examined by the members appointed by the General Assembly and finally approved by the General Assembly at its next meeting.

#Article 32Entry into force of decisions

Decisions of the General Assembly come into force sixty days after the close of the General Assembly, unless otherwise provided in these Statutes or unless the General Assembly sets another date for the implementation of its decisions.

Chapter Two: The Executive Committee

#Article 33Composition of the Executive Committee

1.The Executive Committee of the Federation consists of 11 members (at least one of whom is a woman) as follows

:

(a) the President of the Federation.

(b) three vice-presidents, namely the first vice-president, the second vice-president (who is also the chairperson of the Competitions Committee) and the third vice-president (who is also the chairperson of the Women's Committee and must be a woman).

(c) seven other members, comprising two from among the presidents of the provincial football associations, two from among the managing directors of premier league or first division league clubs, and three from among persons with experience in sports management.

2.The President of the Federation, the proposed vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee are elected by the General Assembly on the basis of the position for which they are candidates. Each candidate for the office of President must obtain endorsements from five members of the General Assembly. Each candidate for the office of President must name three persons as candidates for the offices of first, second and third vice-president in their candidacy application form. The proposed vice-presidents and the other candidates for the Executive Committee must obtain endorsements from two members of the General Assembly.

3.The term of office of the President of the Federation, the vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee is four years, and this term begins after the close of the General Assembly which elected them. No person may serve on the Executive Committee of the Federation for more than three consecutive or non-consecutive terms (whether as President, vice-president or another member of the Executive Committee).

4.In addition to the conditions set out in article 20 paragraph 9 of these Statutes, the vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee must, at the time of registration, hold Iranian nationality and be resident in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In addition to a record of activity in football, the vice-presidents and the members must also have at least 4 years' experience in sports management as set out in Annexe One to the Statutes.

5.All persons wishing to stand in the elections (President, vice-presidents and members) must submit their candidacy application to the secretariat of the Assembly at least fifty days before the General Assembly, using the forms set out in the electoral regulations. The official list of the names of the candidates in the elections is sent to the members of the Assembly together with the agenda of the General Assembly.

6.No member of the Executive Committee may at the same time be the chairperson, deputy chairperson or a member of one of the independent bodies of the Federation, a delegate of one of the members of the Federation in the Assembly of the Federation, the General Secretary of the Federation, an active football, futsal or beach soccer referee, a transfer intermediary, a match agent, or the chairperson, deputy chairperson or a member of the Players' Status Committee of the Federation.

7.If one of the positions, or up to 50% of the positions, on the Executive Committee becomes vacant, the Executive Committee shall appoint another person / other persons to hold the position in question until the next General Assembly is held, so that at the next General Assembly a person / persons may be elected as replacements for the remainder of the term.

8.The position of a member of the Executive Committee is deemed vacant in the event of resignation, removal, death, permanent incapacity or absence from more than four consecutive ordinary meetings of the Executive Committee.

9.If more than fifty per cent of the positions on the Executive Committee become vacant, the General Secretary of the Federation must convene an Extraordinary General Assembly within a specified period in order to elect replacements for the remainder of the term.

10.The President serves at the Federation on a full-time basis and the vice-presidents and the members of the Executive Committee on a part-time basis.

#Article 34Meetings of the Executive Committee

1.The Executive Committee must hold at least nine meetings a year.

2.The convening of meetings of the Executive Committee is the responsibility of the President of the Federation. If one third of the members of the Executive Committee request that a meeting be held, the President of the Federation must convene a meeting of the Executive Committee within fourteen days, and if the President of the Federation does not convene a meeting within that period, the other members of the Executive Committee shall convene the meeting themselves.

3.The President of the Federation is responsible for setting the agenda of the meetings of the Executive Committee. Any member of the Executive Committee may propose items for inclusion in the agenda. The members of the Executive Committee must submit their proposed items for inclusion in the agenda to the administration of the Federation at least ten days before the meeting. The agenda must be sent to the members of the Executive Committee at least seven days before the meeting.

4.The General Secretary shall attend the meetings of the Executive Committee in an advisory capacity and, without the right to vote, as secretary. If the General Secretary is unable to attend a meeting of the Executive Committee, they may propose another person to attend the meeting as their representative, and the attendance of that person at the meeting is subject to the approval of the President.

5.Meetings of the Executive Committee are held in private, although the General Secretary may, on a proposal from the President, invite third parties to the meeting. Third parties attend the meeting without the right to vote and may speak only with the permission of the Executive Committee.

6.Where it is not possible to hold meetings of the Executive Committee in person, the meetings may, at the discretion of the President of the Federation, be held by video conference or by any other available communication technology, and their decisions are valid in the same way as those of other meetings

7.If any of the vice-presidents or members of the Executive Committee of the Federation is absent from more than four consecutive ordinary meetings of the Executive Committee, their position is deemed vacant.

#Article 35Powers of the Executive Committee

1.To take decisions on matters which, under the regulations and the Statutes, do not fall within the competence of the General Assembly or of the other bodies of the Federation.

2.To make the preparations for and to convene the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assemblies of the Federation

3.To appoint the chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and members of the standing committees on a proposal from the President of the Federation.

4.To decide to establish ad hoc committees where necessary and at any time.

5.To propose the chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and members of the independent bodies of the Federation to the General Assembly.

6.To adopt the regulations required for the judicial bodies, the Audit Committee and the standing and ad hoc committees, and to approve

the statutes of the provincial football associations.

7.To appoint or remove the General Secretary, on a proposal from the President of the Federation.

8.To propose the independent external auditor (for a term of two years) to the General Assembly.

9.To appoint replacements for positions that have become vacant in the judicial bodies and the Audit Committee until the next General Assembly is held.

10.To adopt the regulations and rules governing the organisation of and participation in competitions held under the auspices of the Federation.

11.To appoint the head coaches of the national teams on a proposal from the President of the Federation.

12.To adopt the regulations and rules required for the organisation and administration of the internal affairs of the Federation.

13.To ensure the implementation of the Statutes and to make the executive arrangements required for their implementation.

14.To remove persons provisionally (with the exception of the members of the independent bodies) or to suspend a member of the Assembly provisionally until the next General Assembly is held.

15.To delegate part of the duties and powers of the Executive Committee to other departments of the Federation.

16.To appoint an observer or observers to attend the General Assembly without the right to speak and without the right to vote

17.To approve the financial statements, the programme and the budget for presentation to and approval by the General Assembly.

18.The Treasurer is appointed on a proposal from the President, with the endorsement of the Executive Committee and the approval of the General Assembly.

19.To take decisions on the number of teams taking part in the national football, futsal and beach soccer league competitions.

20.To adopt all the financial, procurement and employment regulations and rules of the Federation.

#Article 36Decision-making in the Executive Committee

1.A meeting of the Executive Committee is quorate if at least two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee are present.

2.Decisions of the Executive Committee are taken by a majority (more than) 50% of the valid votes cast. In the event of a tie, the vote of the President (in their absence, the vote of the vice-president) shall be decisive. Voting by letter or through a proxy or representative is not permitted.

3.Where a conflict of interest exists or may exist, each member of the Executive Committee must refrain from taking part in the deliberations and the vote, in the manner explained in article 20 paragraph 10 of these Statutes.

4.The decisions of the Executive Committee must be recorded in the minutes by the General Secretary.

5.The decisions of the Executive Committee take effect immediately unless the Executive Committee decides otherwise as to the time of their implementation.

#Article 37Removal of a member of a body

1.The General Assembly may remove a member of a body. The Executive Committee may also provisionally remove members of the bodies of the Federation, with the exception of the members of the independent bodies. A provisional removal carried out by the Executive Committee must be confirmed by the next General Assembly unless the Executive Committee revokes the provisional removal before the General Assembly is held. If the next General Assembly is an elective assembly, the person concerned (provided that they meet the eligibility criteria) may stand as a candidate in the elections conditionally, this being subject to the final decision of the General Assembly on their removal, which must be taken before the elections.

2.The proposal for removal must be reasoned and must be sent to the members of the Executive Committee and/or the members of the General Assembly of the Federation together with the agenda.

3.The member of the body in question has the right to defend themselves before the General Assembly and/or the Executive Committee.

4.The vote on the proposal for removal in the Executive Committee and/or the General Assembly must be in writing and by secret ballot. The proposal for removal is adopted only if two-thirds of the valid votes cast are in favour

5.Persons who are removed (permanently or provisionally) are relieved of their functions with immediate effect.

Chapter Three: The President of the Federation

#Article 38President of the Federation

1.The President of the Federation is, in general, the legal representative of the Federation. All contracts, all commercial instruments (cheques, promissory notes, bills of exchange), binding instruments and securities are valid with the joint signature of the President and the Treasurer.

2.The President of the Federation is responsible for the following:

(a) implementing the decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee through the administration of the Federation.

(b) ensuring the effective functioning of the various bodies of the Federation with a view to achieving the objectives set out in these Statutes.

(c) supervising the functioning of the administration of the Federation.

(d) relations between the Federation and its members, FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, political bodies and other organisations.

3.Only the President of the Federation has the right to propose the appointment and removal of the General Secretary.

4.The President of the Federation chairs the meetings of the General Assembly, the Executive Committee and the committees of which they have been elected chairperson.

5.The President of the Federation has one ordinary vote on the Executive Committee and, in the event of a tie, the President's vote is decisive.

6.Where the President is absent or unavailable, the first vice-president and, in that person's absence, the other vice-presidents in order of rank shall assume the President's duties.

7.If the President of the Federation is absent without a valid excuse from six consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee, the office of President of the Federation is deemed vacant.

8.If the office of President of the Federation becomes vacant, the first vice-president and, if that is not possible, the other vice-presidents in order of rank and, if that is not possible, the longest-serving member of the Executive Committee, shall perform the duties of the President of the Federation until the next General Assembly is held. At the next General Assembly, a new President of the Federation is elected for the remainder of the term, and in these circumstances the vice-presidents continue in office until their term of office ends.

9.Any further powers of the President of the Federation, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with these Statutes, must be set out in the internal regulations of the Federation.

#Article 39Candidates for the office of President of the Federation

1.The President of the Federation shall be elected by the General Assembly for a term of four years. Their term of office begins after the close of the assembly at which they were elected. The President may be re-elected, but may in total serve no more than three terms as President.

2.Only the members of the General Assembly of the Football Federation may propose candidates for the office of President of the Federation. Members must notify the name of the candidate for the office of President of the Federation in writing to the administration of the Federation at least fifty days before the date of the General Assembly.

3.The administration of the Federation must notify the members of the Assembly of the names of the proposed candidates, together with the agenda of the Assembly, at least twenty-one days before the date of the General Assembly.

4.In addition to the conditions set out in article 20 paragraph 9, a candidate for the office of President of the Federation must satisfy the following conditions:

(a) holding Iranian nationality and residing in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

(b) having no criminal conviction, as certified by the competent legal and judicial authorities.

(c) in addition to a record of activity in football, they must also have at least 4 years' experience in sports management as set out in Annexe One to the Statutes.

Chapter Four: The standing committees

#Article 40Standing committees

1.The standing committees of the Federation are:

(a) the Women's Committee

(b) the Competitions Committee

(c) the Technical and Development Committee

(d) the Referees Committee

(e) the Committee for the Drafting and Harmonisation of Regulations

(f) the Youth Committee

(g) the Futsal Committee

(h) the Medical Committee

(i) the Players' Status Committee

(j) the Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee

(k) the Media Committee

(l) the Strategy Committee

(m) the Marketing and Television Committee

(n) the Provincial Affairs Committee

(o) the Education Committee

(p) the Beach Soccer Committee

2.The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the standing committees are appointed on a proposal from the President and with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Federation. Each standing committee must have at least one female member. The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the standing committees are appointed for a term of four years.

3.The chairpersons of the committees administer the affairs of the committee on behalf of the committee concerned and in full compliance with the organisational regulations adopted by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of the Federation adopts the regulations and rules relating to the standing committees.

4.The chairpersons of the committees determine the dates of meetings in coordination with the General Secretary and, ensuring the proper performance of duties, submit the activity report of the committee concerned to the Executive Committee.

5.The standing committees may propose amendments to the regulations of their committee to the Executive Committee through the General Secretary.

6.The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the committees serve at the Federation on a part-time basis.

#Article 41Competitions Committee

This committee is responsible for organising the competitions of the Federation in accordance with the Statutes and the relevant regulations and consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members. Where the organisation of competitions is delegated to the League Organisation or to any other body, this committee, without interfering in the executive affairs of the competitions, shall supervise their performance and submit its report to the Executive Committee. In addition, the chairperson of the Competitions Committee may also be the president of the League Organisation.

#Article 42Technical and Development Committee

This committee analyses and monitors the fundamental technical and development aspects of football, futsal and beach soccer. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 43Referees Committee

The Referees Committee is responsible for the application of the Laws of the Game. This committee is responsible for policy-making, planning and the selection of referees and refereeing assessors for matches held under the auspices of the Federation. The Referees Committee organises the various matters concerning referees within the Federation in cooperation with the administration of the Federation, and the selection of refereeing instructors and the supervision of the education and training of referees is the responsibility of this committee. The Referees Committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 44Committee for the Drafting and Harmonisation of Regulations

This committee, while analysing the fundamental legal issues relating to football, is responsible for drafting the Statutes and for the development of the Statutes, the regulations, the rules and the directives relating to the Federation and its members. All regulations, rules, circulars and directives proposed by other departments must also, before being submitted to and adopted by the Executive Committee or the General Assembly, be approved by this committee as to their conformity with national and international regulations. The Committee for the Drafting and Harmonisation of Regulations consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 45Women's Committee

This committee is responsible for handling, planning, supervising and organising all matters relating to women's football, futsal and beach soccer in accordance with these Statutes and the other relevant regulations. This committee proposes the coaches of the women's national teams and is responsible for supervising the women's national teams, supervising talent identification in women's football, futsal and beach soccer, and supervising women's football, futsal and beach soccer schools throughout the country. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 46Youth Committee

The Youth Committee is responsible for supervising the men's youth national football teams, as well as supervising talent identification in football and supervising football schools throughout the country. This committee proposes the coaches of the men's youth national teams.. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 47Futsal Committee

The Futsal Committee is responsible for supervising the men's national futsal teams, as well as supervising talent identification in futsal and supervising futsal schools throughout the country. This committee proposes the coaches of the men's national futsal teams.. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 48Medical Committee

The Medical Committee is responsible for dealing with all medical aspects of football, futsal and beach soccer. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 49Players' Status Committee

1.The Players' Status Committee shall supervise the status of players and their transfers as to their conformity with the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players and the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players of the Football Federation, and shall determine the status of players for participation in the various competitions of the Football Federation. The Executive Committee of the Federation adopts the special regulations governing the Players' Status Committee and the scope of its competence. The Players' Status Committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

2.The Players' Status Committee is the body competent to hear and settle financial, employment and contractual disputes and disputes relating to training compensation and the solidarity mechanism between the members of the Federation, players, officials, match agents and intermediaries, as well as between the Federation and its members; its terms of reference and the scope of its competence are as set out in the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players and the relevant rules of procedure, which are adopted by the Executive Committee of the Federation.

#Article 50Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee

This committee is responsible for policy-making, the advancement and the growth of all cultural and social matters and matters relating to social responsibility in football, futsal and beach soccer, and for the promotion of fair play. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 51Media Committee

This committee draws up the strategies relating to media affairs in football, futsal and beach soccer in the country in accordance with national and international regulations. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 52Strategy Committee

This committee is responsible for drawing up the strategies for the development of football in the country and the strategic plan of the Federation, drawing on global football development strategies. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 53Marketing and Television Committee

This committee advises the Executive Committee on the drawing up and implementation of marketing and television contracts and analyses new marketing and television strategies. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 54Provincial Affairs Committee

This committee advises the Executive Committee on coordination with the provincial football associations and on facilitating their affairs and activities, and supervises their proper management and their electoral processes. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 55Beach Soccer Committee

The Beach Soccer Committee is responsible for supervising the national beach soccer teams, supervising talent identification in beach soccer and supervising beach soccer schools throughout the country. This committee proposes the coaches of the men's national beach soccer teams. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 56Education Committee

The Education Committee advises the Executive Committee on the holding of coach education programmes and courses at various levels and in various fields and must ensure the conformity of these courses with international standards. This committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five members.

#Article 57Ad hoc committees

Where necessary, the Executive Committee may establish ad hoc committees for a limited period to carry out specific tasks. The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of these committees are appointed by the Executive Committee. The terms of reference and functioning of these committees shall be based on regulations adopted by the Executive Committee. An ad hoc committee must submit its report directly to the Executive Committee.

Chapter Five: Other bodies

#Article 58Licensing body

1.This body is responsible for club licensing within the Federation in accordance with the licensing regulations of the Federation and of the Asian Football Confederation.

2.The licensing body consists of a first-instance panel and an appeal panel. Each of the first-instance and appeal panels consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to three members, who are appointed on a proposal from the President of the Federation and with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Federation, and none of them may hold membership of, or carry out any activity in, the other departments of the Federation, the League Organisation or the clubs.

3.Decisions of the appeal panel of the licensing body may be appealed only before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in accordance with these Statutes and the regulations and statutes of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

4.The Executive Committee of the Federation adopts the club licensing regulations in accordance with the requirements of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

Chapter Six: The independent bodies

#Article 59Organisational independence

The independent committees and their members must carry out their activities and duties in complete independence while at all times acting in accordance with the regulations and the Statutes and in the interests of the Federation.

#Article 60Audit Committee

1.This committee shall review the financial statements, the consolidated financial statements and the report of the independent external auditor and shall satisfy itself as to the completeness and validity of the financial accounting. The Audit Committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to three members who have sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and/or legal matters. The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the Audit Committee may not take part in any decision-making relating to the executive affairs of the Federation.

2.The Audit Committee shall assist and advise the Executive Committee in supervising financial matters and strict compliance with the relevant financial regulations. This committee also supervises the financial performance of the administration of the Federation and shall review the consolidated financial statements and the report of the independent external auditor and satisfy itself as to the completeness and validity of the Federation's financial accounting. The Audit Committee supervises the strict application of the financial regulations within the Federation and, if any action is required as a result of the supervision carried out, may submit its proposals to the competent bodies of the Federation.

3.The details of the responsibilities of this committee, its procedure and the manner of its internal coordination are set out in the relevant regulations of the Football Federation.

4.The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of this committee are elected by the General Assembly for a term of four years, and they may be removed only by the General Assembly, and none of them may be a member of any other department of the Federation.

5.The chairperson and deputy chairperson of this committee must be independent. If at any time during the four years preceding their activity, they themselves or members of their family (spouse, child, adopted child or stepchild, parents, siblings, parents-in-law and siblings-in-law) fall within one of the following situations, they are no longer regarded as independent:

(a) holding a position or a contract (direct or indirect) in the Federation and/or in any of the clubs, leagues, members or the Asian Football Confederation (and their subsidiary companies and organisations) for which remuneration is paid, or holding a voluntary position for which any remuneration is paid.

(b) being involved in the audit of the Football Federation, whether through engagement by independent legal counsel or through engagement by the auditor of the Federation.

(c) holding an official or voluntary position in a non-profit organisation to which the Football Federation, its members, the Asian Football Confederation, the leagues or the clubs pay at least the equivalent of one thousand dollars annually.

6.If the chairperson, deputy chairperson or any of the members of the Audit Committee permanently ceases to perform their official duties during their term of office, the Executive Committee must appoint another person to perform the duties concerned until the next General Assembly is held.

#Article 61Electoral committees

1.The electoral committees are responsible for organising and supervising the electoral process in accordance with the electoral regulations of the Federation. The electoral committees comprise the first-instance electoral committee and the appeal electoral committee.

2.The composition and functioning of the electoral committees are governed by the electoral regulations of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

3.The first-instance electoral committee and the appeal electoral committee consist of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to three members. In addition, two substitute members are also elected on a proposal from the Executive Committee and with the approval of the General Assembly.

Chapter Seven: The judicial bodies

#Article 62Judicial bodies

1.The judicial bodies of the Football Federation are:

(a) the Disciplinary Committee

(b) the Ethics Committee

(c) the Appeal Committee

2.The judicial bodies shall consist of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five other members.

3.The composition of the judicial bodies must be such that the members have the specialist knowledge, ability and experience required to perform their duties. The members of the judicial bodies must hold at least a bachelor's degree in law. The term of office of all members of the judicial bodies is four years. They may be re-elected by the General Assembly, and the General Assembly may remove them at any time.

4.The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the judicial bodies are elected by the General Assembly on a proposal from the Executive Committee of the Federation, and none of them may hold membership of the other departments of the Federation.

5.The chairperson, deputy chairperson and members of the Disciplinary Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Appeal Committee must satisfy all the conditions required to establish independence as set out in article 60 paragraph 5 of the Statutes in respect of the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the Audit Committee.

6.If the chairperson, deputy chairperson or members of the judicial bodies permanently cease to perform their official duties during their term of office, the Executive Committee must appoint another person to perform the duties concerned until the next General Assembly is held.

7.The responsibilities and functioning of the judicial bodies are as set out in the disciplinary regulations and the code of ethics of the Federation.

#Article 63Disciplinary Committee and Ethics Committee

1.The functioning of the Disciplinary Committee and the Ethics Committee shall be governed by the disciplinary regulations and the code of ethics of the Football Federation.

2.The Disciplinary Committee and the Ethics Committee take decisions on the imposition of the sanctions set out in the Statutes and the disciplinary regulations and code of ethics against members, officials, players, clubs, official transfer intermediaries and official match agents.

3.These provisions do not affect the powers of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee of the Federation concerning the suspension or expulsion of members.

4.The disciplinary regulations and code of ethics of the Football Federation, which must comply with the principles of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and the FIFA Code of Ethics, are adopted by the Executive Committee of the Federation.

5.The Disciplinary Committee and the Ethics Committee consist of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five other members, and decisions are taken with at least three persons present, one of whom must be the chairperson or the deputy chairperson. In the particular cases referred to in the relevant regulations, the chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee and the chairperson of the Ethics Committee may take decisions alone.

#Article 64Appeal Committee

1.The functioning of the Appeal Committee shall be governed by the disciplinary regulations, the code of ethics and the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players of the Football Federation. The Appeal Committee consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and up to five other members and may take decisions only if at least three of its members are present, one of whom must be the chairperson or the deputy chairperson. In the particular cases referred to in the relevant regulations, the chairperson of the Appeal Committee may take decisions alone.

2.The Appeal Committee is responsible for hearing appeals against the decisions of the Disciplinary Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Players' Status Committee, provided that those decisions are not final under the relevant regulations of the Federation.

3.Decisions of the Appeal Committee may be challenged only before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

#Article 65Disciplinary sanctions

The disciplinary sanctions are:

1.For natural and legal persons:

(a) warning

(b) reprimand

(c) fine

(d) return of awards

2.For natural persons:

(a) caution

(b) expulsion

(c) match suspension

(d) ban on entering the dressing room or sitting on the substitutes' bench

(e) stadium ban

(f) ban on taking part in any football-related activity

(g) community service

3.For legal persons:

(a) transfer ban

(b) playing a match behind closed doors

(c) playing a match on neutral ground

(d) ban on playing a match in a particular stadium

(e) annulment of the result of a match

(f) expulsion from competitions

(g) forfeit

(h) deduction of points

(i) relegation to a lower division

(j) replay of a match

Chapter Eight: The administration

#Article 66Administration

The administration is responsible for all the administrative affairs of the Federation under the management of the General Secretary. All persons working in the administration are bound to comply with the internal organisational regulations of the Federation and must perform the duties entrusted to them in good faith.

#Article 67General Secretary

1.The General Secretary is the chief executive officer of the administration of the Federation.

2.The General Secretary is appointed on a proposal from the President and with the approval of the Executive Committee and works with the Federation on a full-time basis under a contract governed by the rules of private law, and must possess the required professional qualifications, the most important of which are: Iranian nationality, residence in Iran, holding at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, knowledge of English, and no criminal conviction, as certified by the competent legal and judicial authorities.

3.In addition to a record of activity in football, the General Secretary must also have at least 4 years' experience in sports management as set out in Annexe One to the Statutes.

4.The General Secretary is responsible for the following:

(a) implementing the decisions of the Executive Committee and the General Assembly, under the supervision of and in coordination with the President of the Federation.

(b) attending the meetings of the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, the standing committees and the ad hoc committees.

(c) convening the General Assembly and the meetings of the Executive Committee and the other bodies of the Federation.

(d) preparing the minutes of the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, the standing committees and the ad hoc committees.

(e) managing and supervising the financial affairs, assets and property of the Federation in accordance with the relevant regulations.

(f) the correspondence of the Federation.

(g) relations with the members of the Federation, the leagues, the committees, FIFA, the confederations, the other associations

that are members of FIFA and sporting organisations, whether national or international.

(h) managing the administration of the Federation.

(i) recruiting, appointing or dismissing the staff of the administration of the Federation in coordination with the President of the Federation.

(j) providing logistical and executive support and facilities to the electoral committees for the conduct of the elections.

5.The other duties and responsibilities entrusted to the General Secretary shall be set out in the internal organisational regulations of the Federation.

6.The General Secretary may not be a delegate of one of the members of the General Assembly or a member of any other department of the Federation. The General Secretary may not hold any responsibility or function in any of the members or stakeholders of the Federation or any other responsibility or function within the Federation itself.

7.The administration comprises the departments of administrative affairs, finance, international matches, protocol, marketing and television, futsal, women's football, beach soccer, education, referees, medical, legal, national teams, public relations, international relations, youth, fair play and social responsibility, strategy, information technology, and membership and customers. The General Secretary has a deputy for coordination and implementation, a deputy for support and the advisers required. An increase or reduction in the departments and positions of the administration is possible on a proposal from the General Secretary, with the endorsement of the President and the approval of the Executive Committee.

8.Whenever the position of General Secretary or any of the other positions of the Federation becomes vacant for any reason, including resignation, dismissal, removal, death or suspension, the President of the Federation may appoint an acting holder for that position for a maximum of three months, unless otherwise provided in these Statutes.

9.Security is under the supervision of the President and, in the President's absence, under the supervision of the General Secretary of the Federation.

10.Employment contracts of the Federation are concluded with the joint signature of the General Secretary and the President of the Federation.

#Article 68Arbitration

1.Disputes within the Federation, or disputes of the leagues, the members of the leagues, the clubs, the members of the clubs, players and officials, shall at the final stage (that is, after all procedural stages within the Federation have been exhausted) be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which settles disputes definitively outside the courts, unless this is expressly prohibited by the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

2.International disputes arising from or relating to the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation shall, at the final stage and in accordance with the Statutes of FIFA and of the Asian Football Confederation, be referred only to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

#Article 69Jurisdiction

1.The hearing of national and domestic disputes, such as disputes between persons who are members of or affiliated to the Federation, falls within the jurisdiction of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

2.The hearing of international disputes, such as disputes between persons who are members of different associations and/or confederations, falls within the jurisdiction of FIFA and/or the Asian Football Confederation in accordance with the relevant regulations.

3.The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all persons within its jurisdiction

shall implement precisely and fully the final decisions issued by FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Part Five: — Financial matters

#Article 70Financial period

1.The financial period of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is one year, beginning at the start of Mordad and ending on 31 Tir of the following year.

2.The income and expenditure of the Federation must be managed in such a way as to be balanced over the financial period. The performance of the Federation's core functions in the future must be secured through the creation of financial reserves.

3.The General Secretary is responsible for drawing up the financial statements, the programme and budget and the annual consolidated statements of the Federation with its subsidiaries by 30 Aban.

#Article 71Income

The income of the Football Federation is derived in particular from the following sources:

(a) the annual membership fees of the members.

(b) income arising from marketing and from the assignment of rights belonging to the Football Federation.

(c) financial penalties imposed by the competent bodies.

(d) other income and membership fees consistent with the objectives of the Football Federation.

(e) financial contributions.

(f) any other income relating to football activities.

#Article 72Expenditure

The expenditure of the Football Federation consists of:

(a) the expenditure set out in the budget.

(b) other expenditure incurred by the General Assembly or which the Executive Committee may incur within the scope of its powers.

(c) other expenditure consistent with the objectives set for the Federation.

#Article 73Independent external auditor

The independent external auditor of the Federation, who is appointed by the General Assembly on a proposal from the Executive Committee, must audit the accounts and the approved financial statements annually on the basis of accounting and financial principles and submit a report thereon to the Assembly each year. The auditor must be appointed for a term of two years. The auditor may be reappointed.

#Article 74Treasurer

1.The Treasurer, who is appointed for a term of four years, is responsible for the following:

(a) supervising financial matters

(b) supervising the safekeeping of the property of the Federation.

(c) all documents, binding instruments, commercial instruments (cheques, promissory notes, bills of exchange) and securities are valid with the joint signature of the President of the Federation and the Treasurer.

2.The Treasurer must hold at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or financial management, have at least eight years' experience in financial management, have no criminal conviction as certified by the competent legal and judicial authorities, be resident in Iran and hold Iranian nationality.

#Article 75Membership fees

1.Membership fees must be paid before the start of the competitions. The annual membership fee of new members for the year in question must be paid within thirty days from the date of the close of the General Assembly which admitted them to membership.

2.The amount of the membership fee is determined each year by the General Assembly on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

3.The share of the provincial football associations in the membership fees of the province concerned is determined each year by decision of the Executive Committee of the Federation.

#Article 76Settlement of accounts

The Football Federation may settle the debts of members out of their assets.

#Article 77Competition entry fees

The Football Federation may charge members a fee for entry into competitions.

Part Six: — Competitions, events and the rights relating to them

#Article 78Competitions

1.The Football Federation organises and coordinates the following official competitions within the Islamic Republic of Iran:

(a) all league, knockout and centralised competitions in football, futsal and beach soccer, at all levels and in all men's and women's age categories.

(b) all international competitions whose management and organisation within the country has been delegated to the Football Federation by FIFA and the AFC, such as: the AFC Champions League, the World Cup qualifiers, the Asian Cup qualifiers and so forth.

2.The Executive Committee of the Federation may delegate the authority to organise competitions to the leagues under its auspices on the basis of an agreement. Competitions organised by the leagues must not clash with the competitions organised by the Federation, and in the event of a clash, priority lies with the competitions of the Federation.

3.The Executive Committee may adopt special regulations for this purpose.

#Article 79Club licensing

The Executive Committee of the Federation is responsible for adopting the regulations concerning the club licensing mechanism governing the participation of clubs in the competitions of the Football Federation, in compliance with the minimum standards of the club licensing system as adopted by the Asian Football Confederation in accordance with the FIFA licensing regulations.

#Article 80Rights

1.The Football Federation and its members are the original owners of all rights arising from the competitions and other events held within their jurisdiction, at any time, in any place and with any content, without any restriction. These rights include any financial rights, radio and audiovisual recording, broadcasting and reproduction rights, multimedia rights, marketing and advertising rights, and intangible rights such as emblems, logos and rights arising from copyright law.

2.The Executive Committee decides on the manner and extent of the exercise of these rights and adopts the regulations relating thereto.

#Article 81Granting of exploitation licences

The Football Federation and its members have exclusive competence to grant licences for the exploitation and broadcasting of the audiovisual rights and other data carriers of football matches and events held within their jurisdiction, without any restriction as to time or place and without any restriction as to content, technical or legal aspects.

Part Seven: — International matches and competitions

#Article 82International matches and competitions

1.The authority to organise and stage international matches and competitions between national teams, leagues, clubs and/or temporary selected teams lies exclusively with FIFA and the confederations and/or the associations concerned.. No match or competition may be held without the prior authorisation of FIFA, the confederations and/or the associations concerned in accordance with the FIFA regulations governing international matches.

2.The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran undertakes to comply with the international match calendar drawn up by FIFA.

#Article 83Relations

The Football Federation, its members, players, officials, transfer intermediaries and match agents may not maintain sporting relations or play matches with associations that are not members of FIFA or with provisional members of the confederations without the authorisation of FIFA.

#Article 84Approval

1.Clubs, leagues or any other group of clubs affiliated to the Football Federation may join the football association of another country only with the authorisation of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the destination football association, the confederations concerned and FIFA.

2.Under the FIFA regulations governing international matches, clubs, leagues or any other group of clubs affiliated to the Football Federation may not take part in competitions held within the territory of the football association of another country without the authorisation of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and without the authorisation of the football association(s) concerned, FIFA and the confederation(s) concerned.

Part Eight: — Final provisions

#Article 85Unforeseen events and force majeure

Decisions on all matters constituting force majeure, as well as on matters not provided for in these Statutes, fall within the competence of the Executive Committee of the Federation. Such decisions must be taken in accordance with the law and equity and on the basis of the relevant regulations of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

#Article 86Dissolution

1.Any decision on the dissolution of the Football Federation requires the agreement of a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members of the Federation, which must be obtained at a General Assembly convened for that purpose.

2.In the event of the dissolution of the Federation, its assets shall be transferred to the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The National Olympic Committee shall hold these assets in trust, in accordance with its professional duties and until the Football Federation is re-established, under the supervision of a working group of five persons elected on a proposal from the Executive Committee and with the approval of the last General Assembly. Nevertheless, the last General Assembly may, by a two-thirds majority of the votes, select another authority to hold the assets of the Federation.

#Article 87Provisional legal form

The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as provided for in paragraph 1 of article 1 of these Statutes, shall be defined as follows: an independent, non-profit, non-governmental institution with legal personality, established in accordance with the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This new legal nature must:

1.take effect within one year after the elections of the new Executive Committee of the Federation, which are scheduled to be held by the end of 2020.

2.be based on a revision of the national sports law carried out by the Iranian government and parliament in cooperation with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. Until the revision of the national sports law is carried out within the prescribed time, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran must be legally defined as an institution with independent legal personality.

#Article 88Implementation

These Statutes were adopted by the General Assembly of the Football Federation in Tehran on 8 Azar 1399 and enter into force on that date.

Annexe One

Sports management experience

1.Wherever the Statutes of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran refer to sports management experience, this means the managerial record of the person concerned as follows:

(a) member of the executive committee of a sports federation, a club, a provincial sports association or the National Olympic Committee; or

(b) member of a committee (standing or independent) of a sports federation; or

(c) senior management in the administrative department of a sports federation, a club or a provincial sports association, the National Olympic Committee or the Ministry of Sport

2.The following are deemed equivalent to four (4) years' experience in sports management:

Players:

(a) at least 4 seasons playing in the men's professional league or the women's league, or the futsal league; or

(b) playing for the men's and women's national football, futsal and beach soccer teams.

Coaches:

(a) at least 4 seasons coaching in the men's professional league, or the women's league or the futsal league; or

(b) coaching the women's and men's national football, futsal and beach soccer teams.

Referees:

(a) having refereed for at least 4 seasons in the men's professional league or the women's league or the futsal league; or

(b) at least 4 years on the list of international referees.

3.The above records are verified in the following ways

(a) in the case of governmental posts, by reference to the letter (decree) of appointment and the personnel decree.

(b) in the case of sporting posts (federations, provincial associations, clubs, the Olympic Committee, FIFA and the confederation), by reference to the letter of appointment.

(c) none of the persons covered by this Annexe may, while holding office in governmental, state or military posts at the level of director-general or its equivalent or above, stand in the elections of any of the bodies of the Federation. Such persons must have formally resigned from their post at the time of registering for the elections.