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IMSA: The Supreme Body of Mind Sports

18/11/2024 14:14

IMSA: The Supreme Body of Mind Sports/CardPlayer.com.br

The International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) was founded on April 19, 2005, in Berlin, Germany, during the annual convention of the General Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF). It is a global organization whose mission is to promote, organize, and consolidate the recognition of mind sports as disciplines that are as important and challenging as physical sports. Since its founding, IMSA has been a key player in developing initiatives aimed at uniting mind sports federations from different countries, elevating the level of their competitions, and, perhaps its most ambitious goal: ensuring that these sports are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and integrated into the Olympic Movement.

What is the Olympic Movement?

The Olympic Movement is a global, organized initiative whose main objective is to promote peace and education through sport, based on the values of Olympism. The symbol of the movement, consisting of five interlocking rings, represents the union of the continents and global cooperation. Among its main components are the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is the highest authority of the movement, the National Olympic Committees, international sports federations, and the organizing committees of the Olympic Games.

Created in the late 19th century by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the movement aims to contribute to building a more peaceful world, educate youth through sport, and promote unity among nations. The pinnacle of the Olympic Movement is the Olympic Games, which bring together athletes from around the world. The IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for each edition of the Games and for defining the Olympic program. Mind sports, also known as intellectual sports, consist of games that require intense cognitive skill, strategy, memory, logical reasoning, and the ability to make decisions under pressure. Unlike traditional sports, which rely on physical strength, mind sports highlight intellect as the athlete's primary tool. IMSA has been working to ensure that these disciplines receive the same respect and visibility as physical sports, such as athletics, soccer, and basketball.

BUT WHY ARE MIND SPORTS SPORTS?

Although mind sports do not involve physical effort, they share several important characteristics with traditional sports:

1. COMPETITIVENESS: They involve structured competition, with players or teams striving to outdo their opponents.

2. RULES AND REGULATIONS: They have well-defined rules and regulations that govern the game, ensuring fairness and consistency.

3. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Mind Sports athletes must develop and hone specific mental skills to excel, similar to the physical training that athletes undergo.

4. STRATEGY AND TACTICS: They require strategic thinking, planning and the ability to adapt to new circumstances.

5. TRAINING AND PREPARATION: There is rigorous training and preparation to improve your skills, learn advanced strategies, and increase your mental acuity.

6. TEAM DYNAMICS: In team sports, such as bridge and eSports, teamwork is fundamental: it requires communication, coordination and synergy between team members, just as in traditional team sports.

IMSA was initially composed of four major international mind sports federations: the World Bridge Federation (WBF), the World Draughts Federation (FMJD), the International Chess Federation (FIDE), and the International Go Federation (IGF). These federations represent some of the most traditional and widely recognized mind sports globally: bridge, draughts, chess, and go, each with a long history of prestigious international competitions.

In the years that followed, IMSA continued to expand its membership base, adding federations representing other mind sports disciplines. In 2015, the World Xiangqi Federation (WXF), which governs the game of xiangqi (Chinese chess), became a member. In 2017, the Mahjong International League (MIL), representing the popular game of mahjong, joined IMSA. In 2018, the Federation of Card Games (FCG), dedicated to the promotion of card games, was also integrated. In 2022, the International eSports Federation (IeSF) was included, reflecting the growing recognition of eSports as a modern form of mind sport. And in late 2024, the World Poker Federation (WPF) was accepted into the institution.

IMSA has a clear set of goals guiding its actions and global initiatives. One of its primary objectives is to unite the federations of mind sports around common interests and shared goals. Collaboration among these federations has increased the global visibility of these sports, ensured the organization of high-level international events, and provided a platform for mind athletes to compete and excel.

Another key objective of IMSA is to promote educational and cognitive development through mind sports. The organization believes that practicing these disciplines not only contributes to entertainment and healthy competition but is also a powerful tool for intellectual and emotional growth for people of all ages. Especially among young people, regular practice of mind sports has proven effective in enhancing skills such as logical reasoning, decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, and memory.

In addition, IMSA actively works to organize the World Mind Sports Games, a global event inspired by the Olympic Games, under the auspices of the IOC. This event brings together the main mind sports in a competitive format that mirrors the Olympic Games structure, with competitions between nations and the awarding of medals for the best performances in each sport.

One of IMSA's greatest dreams is to see mind sports included in the Olympic Movement. The organization has been working to convince the IOC to integrate these disciplines into the Olympic Games.

Another important role of IMSA is to facilitate the inclusion of national mind sports federations within their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Integrating these federations into each country’s NOC is a critical step in ensuring support and recognition of mind sports disciplines at the national level, thereby creating a stronger foundation for their global development.

Since its creation, IMSA has been responsible for organizing some of the world’s largest and most prestigious mind sports events. The first World Mind Sports Games (WMSG), held in Beijing in 2008, marked a milestone in the history of mind sports.

Held two months after the Summer Olympics, the event attracted over 2,700 athletes from 140 countries, along with 800 team members and about 300 journalists from around the world. Five main disciplines were contested: bridge, chess, draughts, go, and xiangqi, with a total of 105 medals awarded. China led the medal count, winning 12 golds, 8 silvers, and 6 bronzes.

In 2012, the second edition of the WMSG was held in Lille, France, alongside the London Olympics. Although a smaller event compared to the first edition, it still brought together around 2,000 athletes from 120 countries and was once again a success.

Other notable events organized under the IMSA banner include the SportAccord World Mind Games, held between 2011 and 2014 in Beijing. These events gathered some of the world’s best professional mind sports athletes to compete for world champion titles. In 2014, the competition also introduced an interesting innovation: an online tournament open to the public, which attracted over 500,000 participants.

In addition to promoting large-scale events, IMSA is committed to using mind sports as a tool for educational development. The organization believes these disciplines offer significant benefits, especially for children and youth. Learning and regularly practicing mind sports have proven to be effective ways to improve intellectual skills, such as critical thinking, logical reasoning, strategic planning, and problem-solving in everyday and professional contexts.

Geoffrey Borg, CEO IMSA and David Xiao, Chairperson.

These skills, often associated with high academic performance, can be developed in a fun and engaging way through mind sports. IMSA, aware of this potential, has worked in partnership with educational institutions in various countries to integrate these disciplines into school curricula, promoting intellectual growth for future generations.

Looking to the future, IMSA has ambitious plans to continue promoting and expanding the reach of mind sports globally. The most significant of these, as mentioned, is the inclusion of mind sports in the Olympic program, a topic that has been under discussion with the IOC.

As it nears its 20th anniversary, the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) has been the leading force in the recognition, promotion, and development of mind sports worldwide. With its extensive network of affiliated federations, large-scale global events, and a commitment to cognitive and educational development, IMSA has solidified its position as one of the great forces in the intellectual evolution of society.

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