Tuesday 25 March 2014

What makes an official international test match?

With great dismay I see that some people still do not understand the concept of international test matches.

There still seem to be people who seem to be battling with the concept, in that they presume that national federations have to be part of a government department,
Aargh!

It is like hitting your head against a brick wall.

International sporting bodies do not allow governments to control national sports bodies. Certainly the IOC takes a very dim view of government involvement and have been known to act against National Olympic Committees and National Federations alike when government involves itself in the affairs of the body in question.

Thus the national bodies for athletics, swimming, rugby, cricket, jukskei, golf, are almost all identical in structure and type.

Not only are National Federations precluded from having government involvement, but all sporting bodies are private associations or non profit companies. These types of bodies through these legal forms, thus protect their independence from interference from all non members.

But what then makes an official international test match?

The answer is simply, affiliation to the international federation and compliance with the rules.

Yes, it is that simple!

With the MSSA affiliated to the IeSF, any match that meets the criteria of a test match as laid down by the IeSF is an official test match.

If the International Federation says it is so, then it is so!

Of course, all the participants in the test match have to comply with the rules. Those that do not, may after proper investigation be sanctioned. Such sanction may take various forms depending on the level of the infraction.

However, the test matches are a great way for a country to improve its average standard by getting its players to play against gamers who they could only otherwise dream of playing.

The benefits are huge, and the opportunities are only limited by one's own imagination.

2 comments:

  1. What about calling games test matches against countries like Mexico etc who do not have controlling e-sports bodies?

    From what I read above it stands to reason that it is then not an official test match because it has to be against another team of official standing with their own e-sport governing body?

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    Replies
    1. @Llewellyn Crossley

      Unfortunately you have been misinformed! The test match was official as it met all of the IeSF's criteria.

      When South Africa played against Mexicxo, the Mexican National Body was a full member of the IeSF.

      Thus the Mexican body, while it is a member of the IeSF is a National Federation - it has nothing top do with their government!

      Why would the IeSF's rules on government involvement differ from federation to federation?

      A national federation affiliated to the IeSF is THE National Federation.

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