Gopal waiting to know his fate

Gopal awaiting AICF communication

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: It has been nearly four weeks since the All India Chess Federation (AICF) took the decision to bar Grandmaster G.N. Gopal from representing the country for one year. Officially, the AICF is likely to inform Gopal of its decision this week.

Dismay

Leading chess websites and players from around the world have reacted with dismay at the AICF’s decision to punish the youngster for not taking part in the National championship at Mangalore in December.

Gopal was issued a show-cause notice on February 19 and he sent in his reply five days later. On March 10, the Central Council of the AICF found him guilty of breaching the code of conduct as laid down in the annexure of its constitution that reads, “all qualified players shall participate in the National ‘A’ (and National women’s ‘A’ championship) unless specific exemption is granted by the President/Hon. Secretary on reasonable grounds.”

The decision will force Gopal to miss the opportunity to represent the country in the Asian championship in the Philippines next month and later the World junior championship in Argentina in October.

The Chess Players Association of India (CPAI) and the Association of Chess Professionals (ACP) have been working towards an amicable end to the issue. The CPAI also plans to write to the AICF President N. Srinivasan in this regard.

Meanwhile, the AICF secretary D.V. Sundar, made it clear that players under the rating of 2650 would have to participate in the National championships for them to be considered for representing the country.

Devalued

Many leading players feel the two-part National championship stands “devalued” since the AICF decided, in December 2007, that the Indian team would be formed on the basis of their ratings and not rankings achieved in the National ‘A’.

It also means that should a player, not ranked in the top five in the country, become the National champion, he/she still cannot be in the Indian team.

“We have formed a committee comprising Grandmasters Dibyendu Barua, Abhijit Kunte and AICF office-bearers Bharat Singh Chauhan and Ravindra Dongre to review the National championship format at all levels,” said Sundar.

He, however, made it clear that there was no move to make it mandatory for the players to represent the country in team events. It may be recalled that Viswanathan Anand and K. Humpy had chosen to stay away from the Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, last year.

Source: http://www.hindu.com