Verona, 9th June 2017
New adopted amendments of the WUKF rules: AFFILIATION OF NEW FEDERATIONS.
Article No. 4 point 2 will be changed as follows:
a) In countries where WUKF already has one or more affiliated member federations, the WUKF Executive Committee (WUKF Ex-Com) may, if it judges necessary, consult the current WUKF member federations in that country before granting WUKF membership status to applicant federations.
b) The WUKF Ex-Com shall make a detailed information request from the applicant federation about their Instructors, Membership, History of their federation and their National and international achievements.
i) WUKF Ex-Com will consider applications for membership from self-governing independent Federations who have proven their own autonomy.
ii) WUKF Ex-Com will consider membership applications from self-governing individual federations who are members of other organisations claiming World or Continental status.
iii) WUKF Ex-Com will not consider applications from any organisations that also claim World or Continental status.
c) The WUKF Ex-Com shall determine if there is a good relationship between the already affiliated WUKF federation(s) and the new applicant federation. The WUKF Ex-Com will decide if the relationship(s) between the applicant federation and the current WUKF federation(s) will not cause serious problems affecting the acquired rights of the current statutory member(s) of WUKF.
i) WUKF Ex-Com reserve the right to reject membership applications if it considers that the applicant may create problems or disharmony within the current WUKF membership.
d) All new applicants must be agreed by a majority of the current WUKF members in that country and will only be granted WUKF Provisional Member status.
i) If there are 3 or less federations in that country, the WUKF ExCom will take the decision to award Provisional Membership.
e) The WUKF Ex-Com shall, based on the information acquired, make the final decision on the acceptance or rejection of the applicant federation as a member of WUKF.
i) A Federation whose application has been rejected will, if they can meet all criteria specified by WUKF Ex-Com, have the right to reapply after a 12-month period from the date of WUKF Ex-Com decision to reject.
f) Types of WUKF Membership : Accepted applicants may be granted membership of WUKF as either:
i) WUKF Member; or
ii) WUKF Provisional Member;
g) WUKF Member : With exception to United World Karate (UWK) and International Style Federations, a WUKF Member cannot have direct dual membership of any other karate organisation claiming world or continental status. The applicant federation must:
i) be a self-governing federation with a democratic executive panel and statutes;
ii) have a proven history of authentic Karate-Do practice;
iii) participate in all official WUKF International events each year.
h) WUKF Member is entitled to:
i) have their President acknowledged by WUKF Ex-Com;
ii) participate in WUKF World and Continental Championships;
ii) participate in the annual WUKF President's meeting;
iii) participate in the Presidents’ Congress each 4 years;
iv) vote in the WUKF Presidents' Congress.
v) After 4 years as a WUKF member the federation will be able to propose candidates for WUKF Committee positions.
i) WUKF Provisional Member: The applicant federation must:
i) be a self-governing federation with a democratic executive panel and statutes;
ii) have a proven history of authentic Karate-Do practice;
iv) Applicant federations who have 'Indirect' membership of karate organisations claiming world or continental status can, after two years as a WUKF Provisional member, become a WUKF Member providing they meet the relevant criteria;
v) WUKF Provisional members cannot hold Executive / Management or Referee Commission positions within WUKF.
j) WUKF Provisional Member is entitled to:
i) participate in WUKF World and Continental Championships;
ii) attend the annual WUKF Presidents' meeting;
iii) speak at the annual Presidents' meeting;
iv) be promoted to WUKF Member status on meeting the criteria for WUKF Member status. This membership status can only be awarded at the annual WUKF Presidents' meeting.
k) Initially, self-governing federations who are indirect members of other world organisations may be accepted as a WUKF Provisional Member. This membership status will last for a minimum of two years from the date of acceptance by the WUKF Ex-Com.
i) The President of a Provisional member will not be registered with WUKF until their Federation attains WUKF Member status.
ii) After two years, the Provisional member will be considered by the WUKF Ex-Com who will decide whether to accept the applicant as: WUKF Member or retain their WUKF Provisional member status.
l) Membership application rejected : The WUKF Ex-Com will give clear reasons why the application was rejected. The applicant federation can strive to meet the requirements imposed by WUKF and can re-apply for membership after 12 months.
m) Objection by a WUKF Member : The WUKF Ex-Com will give clear reasons why the objection was upheld. The applicant federation MUST meet any conditions or requirements imposed by WUKF Ex-Com, and can re-apply for WUKF membership after 12 months have elapsed.
n) Breakaway group from a current WUKF Member : There must be a clear date from which the applicant federation broke away from its parent body. The applicant federation must present valid reasons for breaking away.
i) Before they apply for membership of WUKF they MUST have had a successful 12-month period of self-sufficiency at national level and be able to evidence this.
ii) Consent from the parent federation is expected but if it is not forthcoming and there is a valid reason for this refusal, the WUKF Ex-Com may, in its discretion, impose conditions on the breakaway group and allow them a minimum of 12 months to meet these conditions before re-applying for membership of WUKF.
iii) Any special cases may be discussed and a majority decision made by the WUKF ExCom.
o) Re-application for membership : All applications for membership that were rejected can re- apply after 12 months have elapsed. The success of their new application will be dependent on the applicant federation meeting the conditions / requirements imposed by the WUKF Ex-Com.
i) In the case of a breakaway group reapplying, consent from the parent federation is expected but failure to achieve this will not block the new application providing the breakaway group has met the criteria of Provisional memberships and where a majority of the WUKF Ex-Com support the application.
p) Annual membership fee : All federations will pay the same membership fee and this must be paid to WUKF by 1st May each year. Membership will be valid for 12 months and will last between 1st January and 31st December each year.
i) WUKF Ex-Com will issue annual membership certificates at the 1st WUKF official event each year.
ii) Only those members who have paid the annual membership renewal fee will be included in the WUKF's online membership list.
iii) Members who have not paid their Annual membership fee by the 1st official WUKF event will not be entitled to participate in WUKF World or Continental Championships.
iv) When a federation cannot pay the affiliation fee, the WUKF ExCom will decide the date when they will pay the membership fee.