PDPA CONSTITUTION

Overview
The PDPA is a company limited by guarantee, which does not distribute income to shareholders. This means we are a ‘Not for Profit’ association. The PDPA is incorporated and has voting members. It is governed by a Board of Directors and is registered and regulated by Companies House. The PDPA ‘The Company’ adopt a Memorandum and Articles of Association which is submitted to Companies House and is available here.

This constitution will be validated by the PDPA Board at the 2021 AGM and members notified of the update, for reference the updates are highlighted in bold.

Purpose of the PDPA:

• To educate members on how to be a professional sports person
• To represent all members whenever possible
• To afford members an opportunity for the interchange of views on any matters affecting the running of the game
• To provide a strong, influential, purposeful, unified voice on matters that affect our members and our sport
• To promote and develop the sport
• To promote our official partners and their specific services to help members’ careers
• To represent members in discussions with other related bodies, institutions, associations and organisations
• To take steps to ensure the association remains in good financial standing by keeping, in hand, a minimum of 18 months expenditure to fully run the Association within the reserves, not Including the 2% levy or Membership income
• To work in partnership alongside the PDC the DRA and any other related bodies in representing our members on all aspects within our sport
• To give members the opportunity to voice their opinions on the present Board, its finances, the running of the association and other darts related matters
• To give members full emotional, financial and wellbeing support
• To provide all relevant information on our current platforms
• To review the DRA and PDC rules, and offer researched proposals to influence changes in rules, formats, events and the general running of the game which affect our members.

Membership Criteria:

• Players must be aged 16 or over to be a member of the Professional Dart Players Association
• Players aged over 16, and under the age of 18 will be accepted for Membership on the assumption they are aware of licensing laws. The PDPA accept no responsibility should any member not adhere to current licensing laws
• Membership is a declaration of acceptance of the PDPA Constitution and Code of Conduct and an agreement to adhere to the PDC and DRA’s Rules
• Members must operate in a bona fide and ethical manner
• All relevant fees must be paid by the relevant dates.

Admission of Membership:

• Types of Membership
• Full Membership (Tour Card Holders, Honorary Membership, PDPA Board)
• Associate Membership (Players who played at Q-School and did not win a Tour Card)
• Junior Membership (players who play on the Development Tour & World Youth Championship who are non-members
• Day Membership (Players who enter European Tour Host Nation Qualifiers who are non-members.
• Application for Membership of the Professional Dart Players Association can only be submitted by virtue of entry and participation at Qualifying School, except for Junior Membership (Exception is a player who as an associate is within the top 64 at cut off)
• Junior Membership has the sole purpose of categorising players on the PDC Development Tour or World Youth Championship who would otherwise be non-members
• Application for Membership will be on the required form as prescribed by the Association
• All members are responsible for keeping the PDPA informed of any changes to personal data and are also required to submit annual personal details forms
• New Tour Card Holders must complete that years Tour Card Induction to complete their PDPA Membership criteria
• Membership fees, for Full, Associate and Day Membership (including Q-School) will be paid either directly, or via a third party in full, to the PDPA. DRA Sanction fees will also be applicable to members and may be charged at the same time as PDPA Membership.

Honorary Membership:

• Honorary Membership is awarded by the PDPA to any player, whether past or present, in recognition of their service to darts. Honorary Membership provides an exemption from payment of the annual subscription and they can participate in PDPA/PDC events only if they have signed the current PDC player’s contract. Honorary Members who have not signed are ineligible to enter events and are classified as non-playing members. Non-playing members automatically relinquish all PDPA voting rights, unless on the Board.

Membership Duration:

• Membership to the PDPA is for a full season i.e., 1 January – 31 December of any year. The PDPA will not authorise terminated memberships during the season without a valid reason i.e., serious Illness or injury, nor will they provide a termination letter
• Membership may be terminated by the PDPA if a member no longer fulfils the criteria for Membership or fails to make the appropriate subscription payment or is in breach of any PDPA, PDC or DRA The member will, however, be liable for Membership Subscriptions and other dues for the year concerned and no refunds will be offered
• Membership can be suspended or terminated at any time by a unanimous vote at any Board Meeting if it is established with good reasoning, or there is a serious rule breech as deemed by the PDPA Board.

Members Commitments:

• All new Tour Card Holders for each forthcoming season are required to attend the Tour Card Induction, prior to any ranking events
• Wellbeing seminars will be arranged annually for the benefit of all members. Tour Card Holders are required to attend one of these seminars at least once over a two-year period. 

Levies and Subscriptions:

• A condition of Membership is the deduction of a 2% levy, the percentage being that previously set by the PDPA Board, from all PDC prize money. The 2% levy will be deducted automatically by the PDC from prize monies won and passed over to the PDPA in full.
• All Membership subscriptions, including Full and Associate Membership will be paid in full to the PDPA either directly, or via a third party payment system.

Representations:

• All members have right to be represented by the Association in any correspondences, discussions, referrals, hearings and appeals with the Darts Regulatory Authority (DRA). Members will be required to authorise this by virtue of written consent as a documented part of their PDPA Membership (opt in). Members who are ‘opted in’ will have the option of opting out at any point via written or verbal confirmation to the PDPA and DRA.

Other Darts Associations:

• The PDPA does not recognise any other Darts Association other than the PDC and the DRA
• All players who are bound by the PDPA Constitution and Code of Conduct must have the authorisation of the PDPA to join any other Association, whether they are still a playing member or not
• To play in any PDC events*, all players must be a member of the PDPA. (*Excludes UK Open Amateur Qualifiers, Women’s Tour, Development Tour and some World Series Events).

Annual General Meeting:

• The PDPA shall hold an Annual General Meeting each year. All members are eligible to attend, however only those who have been members for two consecutive years are allowed to vote.

Voting:

• At any Annual General Meeting each playing member aged over 16, with two years consecutive Membership, shall have one vote. Nominations for office holders must be received by the Company Secretary on the appropriate forms on or before the due date notified.

Proxy Voting:

• Any playing member aged over 16, with two years consecutive Membership, may appoint a proxy (who must also be a member) to attend and vote on his behalf at an Annual General Meeting. Proxy nominations must be received in writing by the Company Secretary before the due date notified. 

General Meetings:

• The Board shall convene General Meetings, to which all members shall be invited, as is thought necessary. The Chairman shall convene a General Meeting of members on the request of 20% of playing members aged over 18 so long as the request is received in writing at the registered office and is signed by all members requesting the meeting. Twenty-one days’ notice shall be given of a General Meeting
• All items discussed at meetings, minutes and other papers circulated in connection with meetings, are private and confidential and it is a condition of Membership that these matters are not divulged to non-members.

Quorum:

• A quorum at a General Meeting shall consist of 7 members aged over 16. If at any meeting a quorum is not present those present shall dissolve the meeting and reconvene in 7 days. If at the subsequent meeting, there is still not a quorum of 7 then the meeting shall be convened by those members present who shall constitute a quorum.

Board of Directors:

• There shall be a permanent Board of up to six, including the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive. The members of the Board shall be elected for two years at the Annual General Meeting and may serve two or more successive periods of office if re-elected
• The Board shall have power to co-opt additional members
• A quorum at all Board Meetings shall consist of three
• The Association at the Annual General Meeting shall have the power to appoint new Board Members charged with such duties as the Association may decide.
• Applications for Directorship will only be accepted if the applicant has been a full member for a two-year or more continuous period.
• All new Directors will be accepted onto the Board subject to a six-month interim probationary period.

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman:

• The Board shall nominate and elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman, from among the elected members of the Board, who shall carry out the duties prescribed. Their term of office shall be two years. At the end of the period of office, they may offer themselves for re-election.

Election of Chief Executive:

• The Board shall employ and elect a Chief Executive, on a contractual basis who can also be among the elected members of the Board and shall carry out duties as prescribed.

Duties of Chairman:

• The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Association and shall have the right to vote. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have a casting vote. He shall do all in his power to promote the well-being of the Association and shall perform such duties in his capacity as Chairman as directed by the Board
• The Chairman of the Association shall act as the association’s representative whenever the occasion requires and when representing its opinion in any subject it shall be his duty to do so in a fair and balanced manner.

Duties of Vice Chairman:

• In the absence of the Chairman the Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman the members present at the meeting shall have the power to elect a temporary chairman to conduct the business of the meeting.

Confidentiality of Board Matters:

• All Directors will be subject to agreeing to and signing the relevant confidentiality agreement as required by the Board. All Board Meetings will be documented with minutes.

Chairman and Vice Chairman Removal from Office:

• The Chairman or the Vice Chairman may be removed from office by resolution of any Board Meeting of the Association.

Code of Conduct:

• The Association adopts a Code of Conduct, adherence to which is a condition of Membership.

Alteration of The Constitution:

• The Board may revoke, alter, or add to any part of this Constitution by ordinary resolution at a Board Meeting. Members will be notified via their personal data and the PDPA Website.

Validity of the Constitution:

• This Constitution will remain in place on a rolling annual basis until otherwise stated by the PDPA Board. This rolling period will not exceed 5 years.

Validity Date:

• The Constitution was validated on 12th October 2021 by the PDPA Board of Directors. Members were notified accordingly.

Translations

• This document is available in German and Dutch.