Chess body’s move dismays GM Antonio
MICHIGAN—RP Grandmaster Rogelio “Joe” Antonio Jr. stamped his class and won the 2nd Central California Open title, employing improved lines to his game in preparation for the 39th World Chess Olympiad on Sept. 21 to Oct. 3 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
But Antonio expressed dismay on Friday that his efforts might just go down the drain after his mother chess federation threatened to remove him from the national team due to unknown arbitrary reasons.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines head Prospero Pichay and Willy Abalos, executive director, went public in saying that Antonio will be axed from the RP team if he fails to show up in the Florencio Campomanes Memorial Cup set to start Saturday.
“That is the worst thing they can do to a player who has served and represented his country for so many years now. Without any official board resolution, they can just threaten anyone and take away his pride and life, even without an official inquiry?” lamented Antonio, whose trip here is backed by the NCFP itself and the Philippines Sports Commission.
“Modesty aside, I have given so much honor and glory to the Philippines being one of the main pillars of the RP team in the past 10 Olympiads, along with Eugene Torre. I have dedicated my life to the sport and now, they just want to snuff out the fire in me?,” added Antonio, ranked the country’s no. 2 chesser.
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com
Very sad.
miscommunication……..