GOSMA – the Guild of Mind Sports Arbiters
An association of Independent, qualified referees for all mind sports
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.
In 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