Wednesday 31 March 2021

2021 Online Provincial Championships - 17 April 2021


Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is proud to announce that it shall host the 2020 Online Provincial Championships, which will offer local players the opportunity to qualify for selection to the national squad.

MSSA's 2020 Online Provincial Championships is the third last senior provincial event prior to the start of the selection process.

The championship shall be held on 17 April 2020.

Game titles to be played are:

Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
Shooter
Call of Duty: Black Ops (Online only)PC/console184 v 4
CS GOPC165 v 5
PaladinsPC/console125 v 5
Sport
FIFA '21Console31 v 1
PES 2021Console31 v 1
MOBA
DotA 2PC125 v 5
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
Fighting
Tekken 7Console161 v 1
Street Fighter VConsole121 v 1
CardHearthStoneVarious71 v 1


Tournament Structure:


As per the MSSA's rules, being:

    • If less than six teams, the championship shall be a Round Robin Championship

    • If 6 to 10 teams enter the championship there shall be four rounds as played to the Swiss System

    • If 11 or more teams enter the championship there shall be five rounds as played to the Swiss System

Eligibility:

    • Any team consisting of players who are Registered Players affiliated to a MSSA member club may enter.

Entry fee:

    • Entry is R100.00 per Registered Player.

    • Only fully-paid-up Registered Players may participate in this event.

Entries:

Medals:


Medals shall be handed over to winners at the next MSSA LAN that they attend. 


      MALE:

    • PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.

    • UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognised University.

    • SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognised school, provided they have not received any Premier medals. 

        FEMALE:

    • PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.

    • UNDER 24Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognised University.

    • SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognised school, provided they have not received any Premier medals.

Colours:

    • Protea Colours: Only Players that are selected to represent South Africa in International Championships may earn National Colours if the Protea Colours Board's criteria are met.

    • National Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a National Championship will earn National Colours.

    • Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Provincial Colours.

General:

    • The championship shall be played on: 17 April 2021

    • The first round will start at 09H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round.

    • The championship is accredited as being of the same status as a provincial championship. 

    • The championship shall be used for the awarding of provincial colours;

    • The championship shall be used for the awarding of medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Premier, Under 24, and School categories;

    • The championship shall be used for the ability to qualify for National Team Squad.

    • All medals shall be awarded to the recipients at a MSSA LAN championships.

Umpires:

    • Umpires may only be contacted over Skype on the day of competition. Any communication not on the Skype channel shall be entered into.

Entries:

Ladder:

    • For games to count for the National Ladder, teams must advise the Umpires before the start of each match.

Shout casting:

  • MSSA shall decide who may shout-cast the games.
  • Anybody wishing to be appointed as a Shout-Caster must apply in writing to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com
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Provincial Online Student Championships - 10 April 2021


Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) shall be holding its fourth annual 
Provincial Online Student Championships on 10 April 2021.

Any student of any South African tertiary institution (University and colleges) may participate, regardless of whether the player is MSSA affiliated or not.

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.

The championship allows 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.
The event that lasts from 10H00 until 18H00.

All the titles to be played at such event are:

Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
ShooterCS GOPC,165 v 5
ShooterCall of Duty – Black Ops 4PS4185 v 5
ShooterPaladinsPC/console125 v 5
Sport
FIFA ‘21Console31 v 1
PES 2021Console31 v 1
MOBA
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
DotA 2PC125 v 5
FightingTekken 7Console161 v 1

Details are as follows:

  • Eligibility: Any player/team affiliated to a South African tertiary institution may enter.
  • Entry fee: Entry is R100.00 per Registered Player. To enter, the club must complete the Google Drive document. The entry form may be found on Google Drive. Clubs are to download the entry form, completed the downloaded form, and e-mail it to Mind Sports South Africa. The link for such form is: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ERR6815uVjSMu4t5KkRxYqGJ_AA88kkz31qRgksASc/edit#gid=287696184
  • Entry date: Entries need to be submitted by no later than Monday, 8 April 2021.
  • Registration: To register, players must complete the entry form.
  • Age restrictions: Age restrictions per game title shall be enforced.
When and Where:
  • 10 April 2021
  • The first round will start at 10H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round. 
  • Players must all be on-line at 9H00
Rules and Regulations: All Rules and Regulations pertaining to eSports are available from MSSA. Players are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with the LAN League Bylaws and all Period Specific Rules. If any Player wishes to provide advice regarding the drafting of the Period Specific Rules they are encouraged to contact MSSA who will take all comments into account.

The following Medals may be awarded at MSSA's 2020 Provincial Online Student Championships:
  • MIXED: Medals shall be awarded to the first three players who are currently registered at any officially recognized University.
  • WOMEN: Women will be awarded medals as per the same basis as above.
Colours and National Team Trials:
  • Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Student Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Student Provincial Colours.
  • National Team Trials: All Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship will earn an invitation to National Team Trials. National Team Trials shall be held in the event that a National Team must be selected to represent South Africa when competing in such Period in an International Championship. 
Registered Players wishing to shout-cast the event, must please contact Marisa van der Westhuizen at: mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com.

For additional information, please contact: mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

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Friday 12 March 2021

Shaping the Future of Esports Today


The DTIA Commission convenes a new reality of two worlds – esports and sports – converging at an unprecedented pace, accelerated by advances and opportunities in immersive technologies. The Commission is co-chaired by the GEF Board Members Chris Overholt, President and CEO of Toronto-based OverActive Media, with more than 20 years of experience in global sports and entertainment, and Chong Geng Ng, President and Founder of the Singapore Esports Association (SGEA), a leader in technology innovation and development.

 

The DTIA Commission gathers a collective of technologists, scientists, entrepreneurs, futurists, gaming and systems engineers, and the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Together, they lead the GEF’s thought leadership around technology strategy that drives digital innovation in esports.

 

“The future of sports and entertainment lives at the intersection of gaming, sport, music, and technology. The most successful sports properties and organizations will be the ones who adapt best and fastest to this new mashup culture reality. The leading voices on our commission are working hard to lead the digital change needed to attract bigger audiences and younger fan bases,” said Chris Overholt, Board Member and Co-Chair of Digital, Technology, Innovation, Active Esports Commission, Global Esports Federation.

 

“Our new reality is that esports, traditional sports, and gaming are converging rapidly, accelerated by the significant development in extended reality (XR) technologies – creating new opportunities for sports to engage their millions of participants and fans in the new and evolved digital world,” said Chong Geng Ng, Board Member and Co-Chair of Digital, Technology, Innovation, Active Esports Commission, Global Esports Federation. “The Global Esports Federation and our interactive technology partner, Refract, are helping to create a shared knowledge-bridge between the powerful history and foundations of traditional sport and the dynamic rise of esports.”

 

More than an innovation incubator to spearhead advancements in virtual sports and active esports, the DTIA Commission takes on a proactive approach to uphold the integrity and legitimacy of esports, and to safeguard all those involved in the community. Together with the ITU, the DTIA Commission facilitates a global dialogue series and various focus groups to increase awareness and drive innovation in the realms of; advancing the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), supporting health and wellbeing, gender equality, and the future of education.

 

#worldconnected


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Monday 1 March 2021

OCA Confirms AESF As Technical Delegate for Esports at 2022 Asian Games


The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) have announced the introduction of ‘Road to Asian Games,’ the official qualifier program for esports at Asian Games, starting with the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. 

This news comes with the reconfirmation that the AESF takes charge of all the matters of technical conduct for esports at Asian Games as the sole Technical Delegate. The AESF will also be responsible for selecting the esports event titles to be contested for the qualifiers and finals at Asian Games and make the final confirmation on the selected titles in collaboration with the OCA. 
 
As the exclusive organizer of ‘Road to Asian Games,’ the official qualifier program and esports competition at Asian Games, the AESF will oversee the qualifying and final tournament structure for all esports events at Asian Games including the responsibility to identify the finalists for their respective esports event titles through regional qualifying competitions as part of the campaign. The campaign will begin in Hangzhou 2022, and with AESF to continue the organization of Esports through to Nagoya 2026, Doha 2030 and beyond. 
 
With esports making its debut as an official medal sport at the 2022 Asian Games, this campaign will lay the foundation in bringing the Olympic Values and Movement to esports to Asia as well as the world. In addition, as part of the program, the AESF plans to include virtual and simulating event titles to the ‘Road to Asian Games’ and finals competition as a demonstration event, which will further encourage and expand the esports scope from traditional titles which are recognised as console, computer or mobile esports game events. 
 
More than just an esports event, the ‘Road to Asian Games’ and finals at the 19th Asian Games shall exhibit the growth of esports from competitive gaming event to an official sport event.  Moreover, the ‘Road to Asian Games’ will play the important role to introduce a direct pathway that allows publishers to be part of Asian Games. This initiative will be the first of its kind to bring fair and equal opportunities to all publishers and advance esports developments not just for Asia, but worldwide.
 
Furthermore, the 'Road to Asian Games’ campaign will also include a focus on grassroots development, inclusion programs, career pathways, health and wellbeing support, as well as athlete’s rights and protection. As part of the Asian Games community outreach, the AESF will deliver and execute the ‘AESF Experience Program’ with full support from the OCA where AESF will aim to connect esports with athletes, fans, and local communities. This initiative will include a plan of an esports zone at the Asian Games Athletes Village, OCA House, and Fan Zones.
 
To officialise the partnership for the ‘Road to Asian Games’ campaign and the confirmation on the roles and responsibilities of AESF, an official Signing Ceremony was held with the OCA Director-General Dr. Husain AHZ Al-Musallam, OCA Director of Sports Mr. Haider A H E Farman, AESF President Mr. Kenneth Fok, and AESF Director-General Mr. Sebastian Lau in attendance. 

 
Commenting on the partnership, Director General of OCA Dr. Husain AHZ Al-Musallam declared “It is a great pleasure to officially announce our partnership between OCA and AESF for the new esports program for our Asian Games and OCA will provide full support for successful esports events at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. We wish the best to our partner AESF on the journey ahead.”
 
Echoing Dr Husain’s sentiments, AESF President Kenneth Fok added “I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the continuous support and trust from the OCA. I believe that the Asian Games presents the best stage for us to share Olympic Values with the esports community and we aim to make our esports communities develop further through this opportunity. Also, we look forward to a successful collaboration with OCA as well as LOC.”
 
This collaboration not only marks another milestone in AESF’s continuous effort to drive esports forward, but also as testament to our constantly growing reach and network. The OCA has entrusted the AESF again with a major undertaking which would shape the world of esports for many years to come. The AESF welcomes this challenge and looks forward to delivering a momentous and unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

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