Favouritism complaint haunts all-India Federation

Chennai: The All India Chess Federation (AICF) will roll out its 'Chess for Everyone' project to take the game to the grassroots level from the first week of November. According to AICF, the project is to train persons who are interested in taking up chess arbiter/tournament organiser roles as well as to organise coaching camps for chess players online.

The Indian chess body said each district chess association can enroll two boys and two girls (standard rating below 1600) for this free programme spread over six days. As regards the training programme for arbiter and chess tournament organiser, each district can enroll two candidates (preferably one male and one female for arbiter training) for the 30-hour programme, including an objective exam spread over 4/5 days to cover all the aspects.

On successful completion, the candidates will be awarded National Arbiter/National Organiser title as the case may be. The fee will be Rs 500 for each candidate and there will be a 50 per cent concession for participants from Northeast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the AICF said.

According to AICF, interested candidates should send their applications through their respective state associations for enrolment with their details. The last date for submission of the list to AICF is October 10.

After receipt of the consolidated list from each state, an online payment link will be provided to the arbiter/organiser candidates for remitting the fee. Meanwhile, some arbiters told IANS that AICF and the state chess federations should have a transparent method of allotting tournaments for arbiters to officiate.

Several arbiters had told IANS that a select few got the tournament assignments. One senior arbiter wanted a white paper on the assignment of arbiters. Further, how far the district chess associations would forward the applications of interested candidates is also a moot question.

Last year the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association and its affiliate Erode District Chess Circle denied a mother and daughter to write the chess arbiter's examination. A total of five persons from Erode, including the two women, were not allowed to write the arbiter's exam despite paying Rs 1,000 each as exam fees. When contacted for his comments, S. Ramesh, Secretary of Erode District Chess Circle, had told IANS: "These people had never lent a helping hand for the events organised by the official body. They also hold their own events. Will you allow a non-journalist into your journalist association?"

Tamil Nadu State Chess Association Secretary P. Stephen Balasamy was not available for comments when contacted by IANS. (