Thursday, 9 January 2025

WADA's 2025 Prohibited List and revised TDSSA


The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that the 2025 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods and version 10.0 of the Technical Document for Sport-Specific Analysis came into force on 1 January 2025.

Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes
Further examples were added to the following substance classes to help athletes and their entourage better identify prohibited substances.

  • S0. Non-approved substances

  • S4. Hormone and metabolic modulators,

  • S5. Diuretics and masking agents, and

  • S6. Stimulants.

As per WADA Code Article 21.1.1, Article 21.2.1, and Article 21.3.1, it is our role and responsibility to be knowledgeable of and comply with all anti-doping policies and rules adopted under the WADA Code which apply to them.

For more general details about anti-doping, you can contact your country's National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) or visit the IESF website.

Summary of Major Changes from TDSSA 9.0 to TDSSA 10.0
As a position of the International Federation of esports, IESF has cooperated with WADA to create TDSSA 10.0, which contains a new appendix that includes minimum levels of analysis.

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Saturday, 28 December 2024

Esports titles selected for all MSSA's 2025 Student Championships.

The countries that MSSA's Protea Student Team played against in Sochi in Russia in November 2024.

In 2024 Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) held its seventh annual Provincial Online Student Championships. The Student Championships formed the basis for the selection of the Student Championships for the the student team that MSSA sent to Russia in September 2024.

Any student of any South African tertiary institution (University, colleges, and TVET's) may participate, regardless of whether the institution is MSSA affiliated, or regardless if the player is registered, or not. Thus every student is afforded the opportunity of qualifying for the Student National Protea Team Trials.

It may interest readers to note that the majority of esports athletes that have represented South Africa as members of the official Protea Teams have done so while being students at a tertiary educational institution.

However, it should be noted that only official teams entered by University Clubs affiliated to MSSA or the Sports Councils may use the tertiary institution's name. Also, only Registered Players qualify for Protea team selection.

MSSA's Student championships allow students from all over the country to test their mettle against each other in an official championship that has the following benefits:

  • Enable students to earn Student Provincial Colours, and
  • Qualify for selection for the National Squad, and
  • Earn medals. The medals earned are awarded at MSSA's LAN Championships.

All the titles to be played at such event are:

Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
Shooting
CS 2PC165 v 5
PUBGMMobile181 v 1
Sport
EA SPORTS™ FC 25Console121 v 1
eFootballConsole121 v 1
Rocket LeaguePC121 v 1 and 3 v 3
MOBA
DotA 2PC125 v 5
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
Clash of ClansMobile121 v1
Mobile Legends Bang BangMobile125 v 5
Fighting
Tekken 8Console161 v 1
Street Fighter 6Console121 v 1

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Friday, 27 December 2024

Esports titles selected for all MSSA's Premier Provincial and National Championships - 2025.

MSSA's Female Protea Counter Strike 2 Esports Team in combat against Norway at IESF's WEC24 in November 2024.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has a selection process through which all esports titles are selected for use at Provincial and National Championships.

The process takes into account those titles which are used at International Esports Federation (IESF) World Championships, the titles used at Global Esports Federation (GEF) Championships, and those esports titles which are popular among the member clubs.

But saying an esports title is popular is not enough. Just because a title is popular online among recreational gamers, does not make it popular among the hard-core competitive esports athletes who will attend LAN and/or Online championships.

Thus, for any esports title to be considered for consideration to be included in Provincial and National Championships at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), at least one Regional Championship must be held in such esports title to prove that it is able to attract competitive esports athletes to a single venue.

With MSSA having a greater commitment than ever before to participating in both IESF and GEF, MSSA has rationalised its esports titles for Provincial and National championships in order to continue to deliver high quality teams to interregional; interprovincial, and international competition.

It is also important for parents and athletes to check the age restriction of the esports title in which the athlete intends to participate. Age restrictions are non negotiable and underaged athletes shall not be permitted to participate. 

It should also be noted that changes may be made to the line-up in exceptional cases. If IESF and/or GEF selects a title not on the list for use at its World Championships, then MSSA shall immediately include such title.

A lot of time has been invested in determining the esports titles for 2025, and the comprehensive list is as follows:

Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
Shooter
CS 2PC165 v 5
PUBGMMobile181 v 1
Sport
EA SPORTS™ FC 25Console121 v 1
eFootballConsole121 v 1
Rocket LeaguePC121 v 1 and 3 v 3
MOBA
Clash of ClansMobile121 v1
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
DotA 2PC125 v 5
Mobile Legends Bang BangMobile125 v 5
Fighting
Tekken 8Console161 v 1
Street Fighter 6Console121 v 1

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IESF announces proposed game titles for 17th World Esports Championships to be held in 2025.


In a communique received by Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) from International Esports Federation on Friday, 27 December 2024 in which IESF stated, "The game titles remain the same as last year. Final negotiations with publishers are currently underway:

  • CS2, Dota 2, MLBB, PUBG MOBILE, and eFootball."

IESF (International Esports Federation) typically selects game titles for its official competitions based on several criteria including popularity, competitive balance, accessibility, and the ability to foster a global esports community.

Since IESF has stated that the game titles remain the same, and knowing that IESF is fully committed to the empowerment of female esports athletes, it is obvious that CS2 and MLBB will also be held for female teams as well as being held in the open section. The open category allows teams or players to be either female or male. A female team may only consist of female players.

Thus, it is not imaginable, that should our female players outperform our male players in provincial championships, and at National Team Trials (NTT), the entire 2025 Protea team could only consist of females.

With South Africa (through MSSA) having participated in every IESF World Championships since the inception of such championships in 2009, MSSA expects a fierce competitive spirit to continue to grow among its membership as players fight for a place in the Protea Team.

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Thursday, 26 December 2024

2025 Calendar of Events

South Africa's 2024 Female Protea Counter Strike 2 Esports Team - the most successful esports team to ever have competed in international competition.

With the 2024 competitive year firmly behind us, Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) officials look back in awe at the achievements of its teams.

Every team competed to the best of its abilities, whether they were Mobile Legends (open and female), Counter Strike 2 (open and female), PUBGM, and DotA 2.

However, it was the achievements of the Counter Strike 2 (open and female) esports teams that set the bar. With the female Protea Counter Strike 2 Esports team finishing in first place at IESF's African Esports Championships (AEC24) and the open Protea Counter Strike 2 Esports team  finishing in second place at IESF's AEC24, teams that travel overseas in 2025 have their work cut out for them.

With MSSA being sending more-and-more teams to International Esports Federation (IESF), Global Esports Federation (GEF), Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames (FMJD), World Checkers Draughts Federation (WCDF), International Draughts Federation (IDF), International Esports Federation (IWF), Confederation of African Esports (CAES), and African Confederation of Digital Sports (ACDS) events, MSSA has produced a Calendar of Events in order to afford all registered athletes the opportunity of qualifying for MSSA's annual National Team Trials.

The only way to qualify to be selected for a National Team is through participating in official MSSA events.

The 2025 Calendar of Events is as follows:

PROPOSED 2025 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DateEventDisciplineVenue
1 JanuaryNew Year's Day
14 JanuaryEnd of school holidays
15 JanuaryIESF Last day of entry
18 JanuaryUmpires’ Course - OnlineLevel 1Online
25 JanuaryNORTHERN CAPE Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
8 FebruaryUmpires’ Course - GautengLevel 1Old Edwardian Society,
22 February5th WESTERN CAPE Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
8 March13th Online Inter-school Provincial ChampionshipsAll esports titles as approved at the AGM in DecemberOnline
15 March5th GAUTENG Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
21 MarchHuman Rights Day
22 MarchNational Team Trials for 17th IESF World ChampionshipsEsports - IESF titlesOnline
31 March - 7AprilGovernment school holidays
5 April14th Provincial Online ChampionshipsAll esports titles as approved at the AGM in DecemberOnline
12 & 13 AprilProvincial School Championships for all provincesBoard and Figure gamesVarious venues.
13 AprilProvincial School Championships for all provincesEsportsOnline
!8 AprilGood Friday
27 AprilFreedom Day
28 AprilPublic Holiday
29 April to 2 MaySpecial School Holiday
1 MayWorkers' Day
3 May5th Provincial Online Student ChampionshipsAll esports titles as approved at the AGM in DecemberOnline
15 May to 30 SeptemberIESF Regional ChampionshipsIESF titlesTBA
17 & 18 May38th GAUTENG ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBA
31 MayFINANCIAL AGMMeetingTBA
31 May & 1 June24th WESTERN CAPE ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBA
7 JuneUmpires’ CourseLevel 1Online
14 & 15JuneSA School ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBA
16 JuneYouth Day
28 June5th SA School Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
30 June - 21 JulyGovernment school holidays
19 & 20 July26th KWAZULU NATAL ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBD
Starting on 21 July1st round of NWU 14th Annual School LeagueAll esports titles as approved at the AGM in DecemberOnline
26 July5th KWAZULU NATAL Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
9 AugustNational Women's Day
9 AugustNational Team TrialsFot titles that qualifyTBD
16 & 17 August17th FREE STATE Championships /5th FREE STATE Online ChampionshipsTBDTBD
30 & 31 August25th NORTH WEST ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBD
13 & 14 September17th EASTERN CAPE Championships / 3rd EASTERN CAPE Online ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBD
24 SeptemberHeritage Day
27 & 28 September8th LIMPOPO Championships / 4th LIMPOPO Online ChampionshipsTBDTBD
6 to 10 OctoberGovernment school holidays
11 October4th NORTH WEST Online ChampionshipsEsportsOnline
1 NovemberSubmit nominations of office-bearersAdmin
6 & 7 December34th S A NATIONAL Championships/ 3rd Online SA NATIONAL ChampionshipsBoard games, Card games, Esports, wargamesTBD
6 December40th NATIONAL CONVENTIONAnnual General MeetingTBD
16 DecemberDay of Reconciliation
11 DecemberGovernment school holidays starts
TBASRSA's S A Schools ChampionshipsMorabarabaTo be determined by SRSA
25 DecemberChristmas Day
26 DecemberDay of Goodwill*

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