ARTICLE 612
INDEMNIFICATION

612.1           INDEMNITY - NDSI shall indemnify, protect and defend, in the manner and to the full extent permitted by law, any Indemnified Person in respect of any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether or not by or in the right of NDSI, and whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or otherwise, by reason of the fact that the Indemnified Person bears or bore one or more of the relationships to NDSI specified in Section 612.3 and was acting or failing to act in one or more of those capacities or reasonably believed that to be the case. Where specifically required by law, this indemnification shall be made only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination, in the manner provided by law, that indemnification of the Indemnified Person is proper in the circumstances. NDSI may, to the full extent permitted by law, purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Indemnified Person against any liability that could be asserted against the Indemnified Person.

612.2           EXCLUSION - The indemnification provided by this Article 612, shall not apply to any Indemnified Party whose otherwise indemnified conduct is finally determined to have been in bad faith, self-dealing, gross negligence, wanton and willful disregard of applicable laws, rules and regulations, of the USS Code, of the USS Code of Ethics or these Bylaws or who is convicted of a crime (including felony, misdemeanor and lesser crimes) involving sexual misconduct, child abuse, violation of a law specifically designed to protect minors or similar offenses, or who is found by the Board of Review or the National Board of Review to have committed actions which would be the basis for a conviction and, in each case, the otherwise indemnifiable conduct (or failure to act) was, or was directly related to, the predicate acts of the conviction or finding.

612.3           INDEMNIFIED PERSONS - As used in this Article 612, "Indemnified Person" shall mean any person who is or was a Board Member, Board of Review Chairman, Vice-chairman, Presiding Officer or member, Group Member Representative, officer, official, coach, committee chairman or member, volunteer, employee or agent of NDSI, or is or was serving at the direct request of NDSI as a director, officer, Group Member Representative, meet director, official, coach, committee chairman or member, volunteer, employee or agent of another person or entity involved with the sport of swimming.

612.4           EXTENT OF INDEMNITY - To the full extent permitted by law, the indemnification provided in this Article shall include expenses (including attorneys' fees, disbursements and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement, and, except as limited by applicable laws, these expenses shall be paid by NDSI in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. If doubt exists as to the applicability of an exclusion to NDSI's obligation to indemnify, NDSI may require an undertaking from the Indemnified Person obliging him to repay such sums if it is subsequently determined that an exclusion is applicable. In the case of any person engaged in the sport of swimming for compensation or other gain, if NDSI determines that there is reasonable doubt as to such person's ability to make any repayment, NDSI shall not be obligated to make any payments in advance of the final determination. This indemnification shall not be deemed to limit the right of NDSI to indemnify any other person for any such expenses to the full extent permitted by law, nor shall it be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any Indemnified Person may be entitled under any agreement, vote of members or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in an official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.

SUCCESSORS, ETC - The indemnification provided by this Article shall continue as to an Indemnified Person who has died or been determined to be legally incompetent and shall apply for the benefit of the successors, guardians, conservators, heirs, executors, administrators and trustees of the Indemnified Person.