The Memorandum and Articles of Association for Athletics Northern Ireland is available here.
Last revised August 2023.
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2. COMPETITIONS
2.1 All competitions shall be under the rules for competition of the UK Athletics unless otherwise stated in these bye laws
2.2 No club or member of a club under the jurisdiction of ANI may compete outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland, nor can any foreign club or member of a foreign club compete in Northern Ireland without the permission of the UK Athletics. At the discretion of the Board, this requirement may be waived for competition in the Republic of Ireland.
2.3 Any club, association or group of persons desirous of holding and advertising their sports or athletic exhibition “under the laws of the ANI” must make application for a permit to the Honorary Secretary. Permits will be granted at the discretion of the Management Board.
3. CLUB MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership of a club commences upon the actual date of election by the committee of the club at the properly convened meeting
3.2 A notice of resignation must be in writing and shall be considered by the club within once calendar month receipt. Membership shall be held to have ceased on the actual date of the receipt of the notice by the club secretary, unless the member be financially indebted to the club, in which case the acceptance may be withheld until the indebtedness has been met.
3.3 No athlete shall be allowed to become a member of a club if he/she is financially indebted to any other club, and a club shall be deemed guilty of misbehaviour if it knowingly allows such an athlete to join or take part as a member in any of the club’s activities.
3.4 In the case of a club amalgamated with or absorbed by another club, membership is regarding as continuous. If, however, a member, on receiving notice of amalgamation or absorption of his/her club shall, within twenty-eight days, notify the secretary in writing or other persons issuing such notice that he/she does not intend to continue his/her membership, such membership shall be regarded as having ceased on the date of the amalgamation or absorption, and his/her position in regard to team racing be the same as if his/her original club had been disbanded.
3.5 All affiliated clubs shall have the following incorporated in their constitution: “That the club committee shall have the power to suspend any member whose subscription is six months in arrears provided a month’s notice in writing shall have been sent to such member by registered letter, addressed to his/her last known address, informing him/her of the proposed action of the committee. The name and address of any person so suspended from a club shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary of the ANI”.
4. ATHLETICS WELFARE POLICY (Including Child Protection)
4.1 Each club shall endeavour to implement an effective Child Protection Policy.
4.2 In keeping with the aims of Northern Ireland Athletics Federation, each club with junior members shall appoint at least one member (preferably two, one of each gender) who will have a remit for Child Protection. This will include attending relevant agencies when necessary.
4.3 All Coaches/Officials/Helpers and Athletes shall take note of, and abide by, the Federation’s Code of Conduct.
5. STATUS OF CLUBS
5.1 A closed club is a club, society or organisation affiliated directly or indirectly to the NIAF, the membership of which is confined to members of a school, college, university or service unit, business house, police club or veterans’ association. All other clubs, societies and organisations affiliated directly or indirectly to the NIAF shall be deemed Open Clubs.
5.2 Open Team and Confined Competitions:
a) “Open Team Competition” shall mean any team event in track or field athletics in which more than three clubs have been invited or are eligible to compete and in cross country or road running any event in which two or more clubs compete. All other competitions and competitions in which participation is restricted to youth organisations, police clubs, universities, schools, colleges, service units, business house clubs or the veterans’ association shall be regarded as “confined”.
b) A competitor who represents or competes for a club in Open Team Competition shall thereby be deemed to be a member of such club. She/he will not be allowed to represent or compete for another club in Open Team Competition until the normal transfer process has been completed and the transfer has been registered with ANI. Athletes who change clubs a second time within a year of the original change will be subject to a four month suspension from team competition.
c) No competitor shall under any circumstances, except those thereinafter provided for, be allowed to represent more than one affiliated club in a team event during the season. Exception to this rule are:-
a) A competitor on becoming eligible for membership of a university club, police club or service unit, shall be allowed to represent that club forthwith.
b) A competitor joining a newly formed club (ie a club which has become affiliated within the previous three months) shall be allowed to represent that club forthwith.
c) A competitor on ceasing to be eligible for membership of a university club, police club or service unit shall be allowed to represent his previous club forthwith.
d) When a club which a competitor has represented has resigned from membership, has been disbanded or had been absorbed by another club, the competitor shall be allowed to represent another club forthwith.
e) A competitor who is under 15 years of age.
f) It is permissible for a member of an affiliated club to participate in championships or races promoted by and confined to territorial, YMCA, schools, works, university or similar organisations of which he/she may be a member.
g) In competitions within Northern Ireland athletes who are members of a Northern Ireland club and a club outside Northern Ireland must compete for their Northern Ireland club unless their Northern Ireland club does not require their services. If under UK Athletics rules such an athlete is a first claim member of a club in another part of the UK, then membership of his/her Northern Ireland club shall be deemed to be “secondary first claim”.
6. ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE
6.1 Membership of a closed club shall not debar athletes from competing for their open club in any open competition for which their closed club is not competing. Furthermore, if the closed club is confined to members of a school, university, service unit or police club, their membership shall not debar them from competing in open team competition for their open club, provided their closed club does not require their services in such competition.
6.2 Subject to Rule 5, a member may represent his club in open competition forthwith:-
a) On joining his/her first club
b) On the disbandment of his/her club
c) On ceasing membership of a closed club he/she may represent his/her open club, or, if none, any club he/she may join.
d) If, after having not competed for a period of at least two years, the athlete applies to the NIAF for permission to compete for another club and subject to the athlete having no financial indebtedness to another club.
e) In the case of a Commonwealth or foreign athlete, on joining a club and receiving NIAF permission to compete.
6.3 A club shall not include in any team entered in any form of team contest an athlete who is not residing within Northern Ireland at that time, unless:-
a) He/She was born in Northern Ireland or
b) Either of his/her parents have been born in Northern Ireland,
6.4 The provisions of Rules 5.2 (b) shall apply to those athletes referred to in (a) and (b).
6.5 For competition within Ireland Athletes may only compete for one club in open competition (excluding competition for University, Schools or other closed club) Having competed for a club on open competition an athlete cannot compete for another club in open competition without going through the normal club transfer process.
7. GROUPS FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS AND QUALIFYING CONDITIONS
7.1 Track and Field
Women – qualifying date is midnight 31 December in year of competition (unless otherwise stated). i.e. the competitor must not reach the birthday in question in the year of competition
Under 12
Under 13
Under 14
Under 15
Under 16
Under 17
Under 18
Under 19
IAAF Junior Under 20
Senior At least 16 in the year of competition
Veterans Over 35 (on day of competition)
Men - qualifying date is midnight 31 December in year of competition (unless otherwise stated). i.e. the competitor must not reach the birthday in question in the year of competition
Under 12
Under 13
Under 14
Under 15
Under 16
Under 17
Under 18
Under 19
IAAF Junior Under 20
Senior At least 16 in the year of competition
Veterans Over 40 (on day of competition)
7.2 Cross Country and Road Running
Women – qualifying date is midnight 31 December in year of competition (unless otherwise stated). i.e. the competitor must not reach the birthday in question in the year of competition
Under 12
Under 13
Under 14
Under 15
Under 16
Under 17
Under 18
Under 19
IAAF Junior Under 20
Senior At least 16 in the year of competition
Masters Over 35 (on day of competition)
Men - qualifying date is midnight 31 December in year of competition (unless otherwise stated). i.e. the competitor must not reach the birthday in question in the year of competition
Under 12
Under 13
Under 14
Under 15
Under 16
Under 17
Under 18
Under 19
IAAF Junior Under 20
a) 15 and under 21
b) Over 21 – the following are ineligible to compete: Individual or team winners of Northern Ireland Junior Championships, UCAAO Intermediate Championships, AAI Intermediate Championships and 1st or 2nd individual or team in Northern Ireland Senior Championships, UCAAI Senior Championships or AAI Senior Championships.
Senior At least 16 in the year of competition
Veterans Over 35 (on day of competition)
7.3 Championships are open to all individuals who fulfil the conditions as laid down above. However, individuals who do not fulfil the conditions for international representation as laid down in Rule 12 may not compete for a team in cross country or road running championships, but can only compete as individuals in such events.
8. SPECIAL RULES FOR CROSS COUNTRY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women
In all events a maximum of eight athletes may run on a team with the best four to score.
Men
9. RECORDS
9.1 The rules concerning the establishment of records shall be as contained in the UK athletics handbook.
9.2 The following categories of records shall be recognised:
a) National- made by those who were born in Northern Ireland or whose parent was born in Northern Ireland;
b) All comers- set in a competition within Northern Ireland by any athlete eligible under IAAF rules.
10. PROTESTS
All protests arising from events shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary of the appropriate Committee in the case of an ANI promotion, or to the Honorary Secretary of the promoting club before the prizes are distributed, and must be accompanied by a deposit of £10 which shall be forfeited if upon investigation it is found to have been made on no reasonable ground.
11. REGISTRATION
All Club athletes must be registered and the appropriate fee paid before competing in open competition. However no fee will be payable for the registration of athletes who have not reached their thirteenth birthday. The registration fee for the ensuring year will be set at the AGM. In the case of athletes who compete for a club affiliated to the ANI, responsibility for ensuring that the registration process is completed shall rest with that club.
12. INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION
Athletes who either have a birth, parental (one parent born in Northern Ireland) or residential (twelve months) qualification shall be entitled to represent Northern Ireland in representative competition.
13. WORLD ANTI-DOPING CODE
The Management Board of Athletics Northern Ireland hereby resolve that the anti-doping rules of UK Athletics apply to the sport of Athletics in Northern Ireland; persons participating in the sport of Athletics under the jurisdiction of Athletics Northern Ireland are bound by and must comply in all respects with the Anti-Doping Rules.
Athletics Northern Ireland shall recognise and take all necessary steps to give full force and effect within its jurisdiction to the anti-doping rules; and any sanctions given under the anti-doping rules.