Changes to the Individual and Club Membership Policies

Individual members and affiliated clubs should note that England Boxing has updated its current season (2021-22) Individual Membership and Club Membership Polices.

At its December meeting 2021, The England Boxing Board approved changes to the terms of individual and club membership policies as part of its revamped approach to Clean Sport/Anti-Doping.

These changes are necessary to ensure compliance with the 2021 World Anti-Doping Agency Code, the United Kingdom Anti-Doping’s Clean Sport Assurance Framework, membership of IBA and for the sake of good governance.

The changes to the membership policies follow the adoption by the board of a new policy entitled ‘England Boxing Anti-Doping Rules’, which can be found by clicking here.

Individual Members

For individual members, changes have been made to paragraph 5, which deals with ‘Responsibilities of Individual Members’, and paragraph 6, which deals with ‘Termination of Membership’.

The changes to paragraph 5 are detailed here:

• Individual members and, if they are under the age of 18, their parents/guardians, are bound by the England Boxing Anti-Doping Rules for a period of twelve months from the beginning of membership and for a further twelve months thereafter upon each renewal.
• Competitive boxers, i.e., those who hold a BCR1 (A Boxer Medical Record Book):
• Are taken, by virtue of membership, to agree to be subject to Doping Control measures which may require a boxer to be tested for Prohibited Substances or Methods. This has always been the case with the terms of previous membership but it needs to be explicitly pointed out so that no one can be in any doubt.  This provision applies to boxers of any age and at all level of competition. Note though, that there are special provisions that apply to the testing of boxers under the age of 18, which can be found here.
• A boxer who decides to retire from competitive boxing must promptly inform their club, Regional Registrar and the England Boxing Membership Services Manager in writing using the form which can be accessed here.
• Membership records will be kept for 10 years to comply with the requirements of the WADA Code, its associated international standards and UKAD.

Paragraph 6, which deals with ‘Termination of Membership’, has been rewritten to make it consistent with the relevant provisions in the Club Membership Policy.  The provisions relating to the ability of a person to terminate their membership at any time and those relating to termination of membership for not making payment for renewal of membership still stand.

The revision allows for England Boxing to “refuse, terminate or suspend the membership of any Individual Member at any time, and in its sole discretion.” The paragraph then outlines the process to be adopted if such a decision is made.  It provides that the person will be notified in writing and, if they wish, to have the matter referred for prompt consideration by a panel of at least three members of the Membership Sub-Committee. The decision of that panel is final.

You can find the revised Individual Membership Policy by clicking here.

Club Membership

For club membership, the Club Membership Policy has changed at Part E. ‘Responsibilities of Member Clubs’.

There is a slightly reworded paragraph 21, which deals with a club, its committee and members agreeing to comply with the various rules of boxing.  Those rules, of course, govern important issues such as conduct, anti-doping, diversity and equality, safeguarding, social inclusion, whistleblowing, and the technical rules of the sport.

A new paragraph 23 has been inserted to include provisions, similar to those in the Individual Membership Policy:

• binding clubs and individual members of clubs to the EB Anti-Doping rules for 12 months from the beginning of their membership and for a further 12 months thereafter upon each renewal, and
• for an officer of the club to inform the Regional Registrar and the EB Membership Service Manager in writing of the retirement from competitive boxing of any member who holds a BCR1 (Boxer Medical Record Book). The form for this can be accessed here.

Paragraph 25 specifies that membership records will be kept for a period of 10 years, again to meet the requirements imposed by WADA and UKAD.

You can find the revised Club Membership Policy by clicking here.

These changes take immediate effect.

Further enquiries

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Membership Services Manager at enquiries@englandboxing.org