Female players of Olympiad team rapped for attending party
Vijay Tagore
Saturday, January 10, 2009 3:15 IST

Mumbai: The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has recently showcaused two female players of India’s Olympiad team for attending parties in Dresden, Germany, in November 2008. Both girls, incidentally, did fairly well in the biennial team event.

According to sources, the two players — both adults — were handed notices for going to party with some top Grandmasters such as Nigel Short. There was, however, no mention of any GM’s name in the letters issued to the two players.

The two girls, it was learnt, have responded to the letters. The exact content of the replies are not known but sources in the chess federation say only one of them was apologetic in her reply. The other was not.

The players, it was learnt, had gone to a party thrown by the organisers of the Olympiad event a day before the last rest day and then on the final day of the tournament.

When contacted, RM Dongre, head of the Indian team’s delegation, said some players had gone to the ICC (Internet Chess Club) party twice. “I brought it to the notice of the All-India Chess Federation. Any further query should be directed to the federation,” he said.

When contacted, the AICF secretary, DV Sundar, confirmed to DNA that he had issued notices to two players but played down the issue stating that it was a small matter.

“They went to the party without telling the manager and returned to the hotel very late. Based on the manager’s report I’ve sought an explanation. We have got the replies and for us the matter is closed,” Sundar said. Incidentally, Sundar himself was present in Dresden.

The two girls could not be reached for comment but the father of one, predictably, was unwilling to make it an issue. “Please leave the matter. It was a good learning experience for my daughter. She had met some top GMs of the world and had taken some photos with them. I would not say any thing beyond that,” he said.

He would not say if the AICF had infringed on his daughter’s privacy or was engaged in a bit of moral policing. That, of course, is the main question.

The Chess Olympiad was held from November 12 to 25. The Indian women had finished 15th in the tournament.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com

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