INTERNATIONAL SUMO FEDERATION RULES

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Chapter 7Special Committees

Article 32 Competition Committee
  1. Competition Committee shall be established in the IFS.
  2. The Competition Committee shall handle matters regarding the operation of tournaments, competition rules, refereeing techniques, facilities, study of equipment and other sumo-related matters.
  3. The rules regarding the organization and operation of the Competition Committee shall be determined separately after deliberation by the Board of Directors.
Article 33 Medical Committee
  1. 1 Medical Committee shall be established in the IFS.
  2. The Medical Committee shall handle medical and scientific study regarding sumo as well as doping-related issues.
  3. The rules regarding the organization and operation of the Medical Committee shall be determined separately after deliberation by the Board of Directors.
Article 34 Other Special Committees
In addition to the special committees provided in the preceding two Articles, the IFS may establish other special committees such as the General Affairs Committee, Propagation and Education Committee, Public Relations Committee, Grading Committee, and Finance Committee.

Chapter 8Arbitration for Sport Disputes, etc.

Article 35 Court of Arbitration for Sport Jurisdiction
  1. The Parties should try to settle any legal dispute arising from or in connection to the Statues, Bye-Laws, or any other Rules made by the IFS.
  2. If the parties cannot settle such dispute amicable, it shall be settled by the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (in the next item called “CAS”) in Lausanne, Switzerland, in accordance with the IFS Statues and Rules.
  3. All decisions made by CAS are final and binding upon the parties.
Article 36 Athlete’s Commission
  1. Athlete’s Commission shall be established in the IFS.
  2. The Athlete’s Commission’s main responsibility is to provide a means of ensuring that the IFS is aware of the opinions of current active sumo athletes concerning major issues affecting the sport.
  3. The rules regarding the organization and operation of the Athlete’s Commission shall be determined separately after deliberation by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Guidelines Relative To The Creation Of An Athlete’s Commission made by the International Olympic Committee (hereinafter called “IOC”).

Chapter 9Ethical Principles

Article 37 Ethical Principles
The IFS shall provide a mean of respect and promote ethical principles including those contained in Olympic Charter and WADA code.
Article 38 Ethic's Commission
  1. Ethic's Commission shall be established in the IFS.
  2. The Ethic's Commission's main responsibility is to provide a means of ensuring that the IFS is aware of the updating a framework of ethical principles, including a code of ethics, based upon the values and principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter.
  3. In additional, it investigates complaints raised in relation to the non-respect of such ethical principles, including breaches of the code of ethics and, if necessary, proposes sanctions to the IFS board of director.
Article 39 Prevention of Manipulation, Betting and Competition Irregularities
  1. The IFS shall provide a mean of sumo integrity from the manipulation of sumo competitions, all national member federations, all sports organizations according to the Olympic Charter.
  2. The IFS shall provide IFS members and all sports organizations with harmonized regulations to protect all sumo competitions from the risk of manipulation.
  3. The code of ethics establishes regulations that are in compliance with IOC.
  4. The IFS bound by the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics declare commitment to support the integrity of sumo and fight against the manipulation of competitions by adhering to the standards set out in the code on prevention of manipulation, betting and irregularities of competitions and by requiring IFS members to do likewise.
  5. The IFS and its national member federations are committed to take all appropriate steps within their powers to incorporate this code by references, or to implement regulations consistent with or more stringent than this Code.
Article 40 Entourage
The IFS shall provide IFS national members and all level of their entourages in sports organizations such as athletes entourage, official entourage with harmonized regulations to protect and must act accordance to such principles for the best interest of sport and athletes.

Chapter 10Doping Control

Article 41 Doping Control
  1. Country Federation shall take all necessary measures for carrying out doping control and ensuring that samples are analysed at an internationally authorized laboratory recognized by IOC and The World Anti-Doping Agency (hereinafter called “WADA”).
  2. The control must be done according to the CODE, regulations of the Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code, IOC and IFS.
  3. According to the World Anti-Doping Code, “It is each Athlete’s personal duty to ensure that no Prohibited Substance enters his or her body.”
  4. The very latest list of substances and methods prohibited by WADA, IOC and IFS can be found on the WADA website. This list is automatically incorporated into the IFS Anti-Doping By-Laws.

Chapter 11Supplementary Rules

Article 42 Revision of Rules
These rules may not be altered without a resolution being passed by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Board of Directors.
Article 43 Dissolution
The dissolution of the IFS may not be carried out without a resolution being passed by at least three-fourths (3/4) of the Board of Directors.
Article 44 Disposal of Residual Assets
The disposal of residual assets in the case of the dissolution of the IFS shall be decided upon by a resolution supported by at least three-fourths (3/4) of the Board of Directors.
Article 45 Enforcement Regulations
The enforcement regulations concerning the execution of these rules shall be determined separately after deliberation by the Board of Directors.
Supplementary Provisions
  1. 1 These rules shall take effect as of 10 December 1992.
  2. The Japan Sumo Federation shall play a guiding role in the operation of the IFS for the foreseeable future. The Japan Sumo Federation shall endeavor to actively provide guidance and advice to other member organizations.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
  1. These rules shall take effect as of 24 June, 2002.
  2. The provision regarding the election of Executive Directors (enforced on 10 December 1992) shall be abolished.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 15 September 2004.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
  1. These rules shall take effect as of 26 April 2005.
  2. The revised Item 4 of Article 13 shall be applied for championships held after these rules take effect.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 22 June 2006.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 15 November 2007.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 6 October 2008.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 26 October 2012.
Revised Supplementary Provisions
These rules shall take effect as of 29 July 2016.