Humpy takes on AICF
Hari Hara Nandanan, TNN
23 October 2009, 01:37am IST

CHENNAI: The spat between World No. 2 woman player Koneru Humpy and the All India Chess Federation (AICF) came to a head on Thursday when the Indian Grandmaster shot off a press release with a volley of allegations against AICF secretary DV Sundar and withdrew from participating in the Asian Indoor Championship in Vietnam in the first week of November.

Humpy alleged in her release that Sundar “created some nasty circumstances” before the Vietnam event and she was forced to withdraw because she was “put under so much stress that I am upset and not in a position to participate in a prestigious event for the country”.

Humpy’s tussle with AICF came to the fore after she was selected to play for the Asian Indoor Games and when she made a request to have her father, Dronacharya Koneru Ashok, accompany her during the event as coach.

“After confirming my participation in Asian Indoor Games 2009, I requested IOA (Indian Olympic Association) to allow my personal trainer Koneru Ashok to the event. They responded favourably and asked me to get a letter from AICF. I requested the secretary of AICF for the same through email. He didn’t respond. Then my father contacted him by phone and made a request for which he refused and kept some terms.

“He bargained with my father that he will see that AICF bears his expenses if I confirm my participation in all the forthcoming women tournaments. I gave my confirmation accordingly. But Mr. Sundar did not keep his promise.”

Humpy was also not permitted to play in the Gibtelecom Chess festival to be held at Gibraltar from January 26 to February 4, 2010. “I do not want to make this an issue,” she said. Sundar has denied the allegations.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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