GOSMA  – the Guild of Mind Sports Arbiters

An association of Independent, qualified referees for all mind sports

gomsa-logo

GOMSA is the first multi-sport refereeing and arbiting service for mind sport competitions. Its role is to train, raise standards, provide qualifications and professional development for its members, and enable the results and score of more mental challenges to be independently verified and accepted.

GOMSA is an independent membership based organisation and has no commercial links to any one sport or to any commercial organisation.  From amongst its members it elects its officials who serve for period of one year.   GOMSA is funded by membership subscriptions, providing training and certification services and also from a percentage of arbiting fees paid by competition and event organisers.  GOMSA also provides a testing, evaluation and certification service for new competition software.

DSC_8322In charge of GOMSA are joint Presidents  the Chief Arbiter of the World Memory Championships, and reigning  World Mind Mapping Champion Phil Chambers.   Phil has set the papers and marked the World Memory Championships for the last 25 years and is the author on numerous books on mental literacy. in addition, the distinguished Mind Sports arbiter David Sedgwick who holds multiple arbiting qualifications across a number of mind sports, including Chess.

The role of GOMSA

  • GOSMA will monitor attempts at cheating and maintain a directory of all the techniques and technologies, used by competitors to falsify their results across all sports.
  • For those sports where this is applicable, GOMSA will also provide an independent service to monitor drugs and doping tests using appropriate medical professionals.
  • GOMSA will develop a professional development programme for members giving them the opportunity to learn the rules of new mind sports and to be mentored by experienced arbiters in those sports.
  • A series of qualifications will be developed for each sport, as a way of demonstrating competence and experience.
  • With the increase in the number of on-line competitions, the presence of a GOMSA arbiter with a group of competitors will make it possible to ensure that no cheating took place and that the results can be accepted.

GOMSA  Recognises the following international arbiters

Phil Chambers – memory , speed reading, mind mapping uk / level five memory

David Sedgwick ….multiple disciplines UK  level three memory

Chris Day – memory –  honoris causa and Guinness world records UK

Ray Keene OBE –  chess , Draughts ( 64 squares) and Memory honoris causa  Uk

Annette Keene  –  Uk level one memory

Alexander Keene  –  UK level three memory

Dominic O Brien – UK level five memory. B rain of the year

Tony Buzan memory honoris causa, speed reading, mind mapping  UK

Sze Kwan  Malaysia  – level one memory

Elaine Colliar Scotland – speed reading, mind mapping / level four memory

Don Luis Miguel Jardim  Portugal / Spain. Level one memory

Dave and Mrs Farrow USA / Canada level one memory

Dr Jorge Castaneda Mexico – level three memory

Squadron Leader Jayasimha India.  Memory honoris causa

Riad Ben Saoucha Algeria Avicenna gold medal winner 2016/2017 – level two memory

Prince Marek Kasperski Australia – level one memory. Brain of the year

Princess Petrina Kasperski Australia  – level one memory brain of the year

Jennifer Goddard Australia – level four memory

Sophie Huang China  – level three memory

Guo Chuanwei China  – level three memory

He Lei  China – level three memory

Dr Raj Kranth India level two memory

Klaus Kolb….Germany – level two memory

Teo Kim Foo Malaysia – level two memory

Shengkai Wang Taiwan –  level two memory

Salah Eddine djilah Algeria –  level two memory

Khatanbaatar Khandsuren Mongolia  – level two memory

Anne Bernadette Bonita – level two memory

Amine Ahmed Chala Algeria level two memory

Dr Henry Toi –  mind mapping Singapore –  level two memory

Yan Kewei China – level two memory

Meng Hongfei  China – level two memory

Michel Wozniak France – level one memory

Pavan Bhattad India – level one memory

Roland ang Tien Soong –  Singapore level one memory

Li Xiao Ru Singapore – level one memory

Elaine Wong yin kit – Singapore level one memory

Song Qiong Singapore  – level one memory

Idriz Zogaj Sweden  – level two memory

Karen Cheung of Hong Kong who will now organise our Hong Kong events…‎level one memory

And finally Princess Tengku Faizwa – Memory honoris causa

 

Mental Sports supported by GOMSA include:

 Chess, GO, Bridge, Competitive Memory, competitive Mind Mapping, Creativity, Speed Reading, IQ, Multiplayer Board Games, card games, strategy games, poker, draughts, mental calculations, speed memory, scrabble, backgammon, Mahjong, Renju, Shogi, Xiangqi.

GOMSA will also arbit eSports (also known as electronic sports, competitive (video) gaming, professional (video) gaming, or pro gaming)

We are looking for new members who have experience in all of the above sports

By registering as a GOMSA member agree to act in accordance with the Arbiters’ Pledge;-

As an Official Arbiter, I pledge to act at all times as an Ambassador for GOMSA and stand for fair play in whatever sport I am officiating at.

 I pledge that all my decisions will be unbiased, fair and balanced, and that I will treat all competitors equally without discrimination.

I commit to act honourably, and to promote the benefits of becoming a mental Athlete.

I pledge to uphold the principles of fair play and transparency in accordance with the rules and regulations of GOMSA and of the sport I am arbiting.

Qualified Arbiters will have their own unique electronic password for confirmation of their presence and supervision of a competitor or group of competitors during an on-line competition to ensure that the are complied with. On-line competitions with this facility would then be accepted as rankable.

For further information, please contact the General Secretary