What happens when a player is suspended?

From time-to-time players may be suspended for having transgressed Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA's) rules which are laid down in the Constitution, Regulations, and various bye-laws.

But what does being suspended mean?

A number of players have, in the past, expressed the view that once they are suspended, membership ceases.

The view expressed above is not true. Only a player  resigning from membership, not renewing membership, or being expelled results in the cessation of membership. 

To be expelled from membership is a big deal, and requires arbitration, disciplinary meetings, and resolutions - all of which must be done in terms of the PROMOTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE ACT 3 OF 2000 (PAJA).

Suspension on the other hand is a corrective measure where the player is allowed to remain a member, but is unable to participate in the affairs of MSSA.

And that can be quite far-reaching, as MSSA's rules read as follows:
While under suspension no affiliated member, Registered Player, Associate Player to whom the suspension applies, will be allowed to take part whatsoever in the affairs of MSSA, or any of its affiliated members.

Should an affiliated member or any Registered or Associate Player be engaged in any of the aforementioned fixtures prior to suspension, then upon suspension such member/player shall be debarred from continuing to be so engaged. 

However, should contraventions not be rectified within three months from the date of suspension, membership will automatically terminate and such registration of such player will also be terminated. 

A full calendar year shall elapse before an application for membership may be submitted or registration forms for such player may be submitted. Such member and/or player remain responsible for all obligations towards MSSA that may be outstanding at the date of termination of membership or registration.

SASCOC's succession plan

There is a great deal of talk in sport by both the Department of Sport and Recreation (SRSA) and SASCOC about having succession plans in place.

On the face of it, this makes sense.

Who does not want stable organisations that year-in-and-year-out follow the same policies and are governed by the same type of people?

But like all things there is the short game plan and the long game plan!

The succession plans advocated by SRSA and SASCOC, in my opinion, are short game plans.

The reason I maintain such is that such succession plans create:

• A cabal of like-minded 'friends' who keep control,
• A lack of entrepreneurial thinking,
• Resistance to change,
• Resistance to new ideas,
• Resistance to upward mobility.

The MSSA is just one National Federation (and may be the only one) in South Africa that advocates a far more open system.

In the MSSA's system, any Registered Player may be elected onto the Management Board.

Such system thus makes it impossible to control who is, and who is not elected onto the committee as every single member club has the ability to vote.

This is just one of the reasons why the MSSA was illegally suspended by SASCOC. The MSSA refused to implement the SASCOC succession plan.

As a result, the MSSA seems to be more unstable, but in truth it is not.

Committee Members that do not perform are quickly replaced, while those that are energetic and willing to work, can quickly make a difference.

Not only that, but the Management Board tends to represent the wishes of its members and thus can adapt quickly to the changes in society.

Thus, there are no 'holy cows'. Everything is reviewed, and the strongest survives!

And that is what sport is all about...

MSSA and SASCOC

From the MSSA facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa):

"It has come to the attention of Mind Sports South Africa that it has been alleged on a website that MSSA’s membership of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has been terminated. We wish to state that this is not true and that MSSA’s membership of SASCOC has never been terminated. Our recent correspondence with SASCOC confirms this position.

There is a dispute with SASCOC as to documentation which they say they are unhappy with. MSSA will meet with SASCOC in due course to clarify this matter.

We request members to disregard any statements which imply that MSSA has been expelled from SASCOC as being false."