TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 9: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
§ 9513. Eligibility Requirements. (a) General. A sports organization is eligible to be recognized, or to continue to be recognized, as a national federation only if it: (1) Is incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth as a not-for-profit corporation having as its purpose the advancement of athletic competition; (2) Has the managerial and financial capability to plan and execute its obligations; (3) Submits: (A) An application, in the form required by the corporation, for recognition as a national federation; (B) A copy of its corporate charter, articles, and bylaws; and (C) Any additional information considered necessary or appropriate by the corporation; (4) Demonstrates that it is autonomous in the governance of its sport, in that it: (A) Independently decides and controls all matters central to governance; (B) Does not delegate decision-making and control of matters central to governance; and (C) Is free from outside restraint; (5) Demonstrates that it is a member of no more than one international sports federation that governs a sport included on the program of an international athletic competition in which the Commonwealth participates; (6) Demonstrates that its membership is open to any individual who is an athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official active in the sport for which recognition is sought, or any sports organization that conducts programs in the sport for which recognition is sought, or both; (7) Provides an equal opportunity to athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials to participate in athletic competition, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin, and with fair notice and opportunity for a hearing to any athlete, coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official before declaring the individual ineligible to participate; (8) Is governed by a board of directors or other governing board whose members are selected without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, except that, in sports where there are separate male and female programs, it provides for reasonable representation of both males and females on the board of directors or other governing board; (9) Provides for reasonable direct representation on its board of directors or other governing board for any sports organization that: (A) Conducts a national program or regular national athletic competition in the applicable sport on a level of proficiency appropriate for the selec-
TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 9: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
tion of athletes to represent the Commonwealth in international athletic competition; and (B) Ensures that the representation reflects the nature, scope, quality, and strength of the programs and competitions of the sports organization in relation to all other programs and competitions in the sport in the Commonwealth; (10) Provides procedures for the prompt and equitable resolution of grievances of its members; (11) Demonstrates, if the organization is seeking to be recognized as a national federation, that it is prepared to meet the obligations imposed on a national governing body under 1 CMC §§ 9515 and 9516. (b) Recognition of Paralympics sports organizations. For any sport which is included on the program of the Paralympic Games, the corporation is authorized to designate, where feasible and when such designation would serve the best interest of the sport, and with the approval of the affected national federation, a national governing body recognized under subsection (a) to govern such sport. Where such designation is not feasible or would not serve the best interest of the sport, the corporation is authorized to recognize another amateur sports organization as a paralympic sports organization to govern such sport. except that, notwithstanding the other requirements of this act, any such paralympic sports organization: (1) Shall comply only with those requirements, perform those duties, and have those powers that the corporation, in its sole discretion, determines are appropriate to meet the objects and purposes of this act; and (2) May, with the approval of the corporation, govern more than one sport included on the program of the Paralympic Games. Source: PL 18-49 § 3(112) (May 7, 2014), modified. Commission Comment: The Commission substituted section numbers pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(d). The Commission corrected the spelling of the word “recognized” in subsection (a) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g).