How important is the USCF?
A week ago, we had the “Natrol” chess enhancement pill fiasco. The national chess federation of the United States (USCF) was endorsing a chess enhancement pill that claimed to take chess players to the next level. This company was in Las Vegas handing out free samples and free gifts to young people (the youngest I saw was around 9 or 10). A friend of mine took this picture (and many more) of the line of kids getting these free stuff. The faces are blacken not to reveal their identities since they are minors.
I was totally outraged at this. How can anyone be dumb enough to sign a deal like this when more than 50% of the memberships are young players? We later found out that this same company paid $250,000 settlement to California just last year for misleading advertisement and proposition. Isn’t that amazing?
I was expecting an apology from the President of the USCF or from an official spokesperson for this incredible blunder. Nothing! No apology. Instead, since then, anyone who asked the USCF to disclose the information about the Natrol agreement was publicly attacked, insulted, and vilified.
The USCF has lost more than 15,000 members since 2003. Instead of working hard to promote the game to gain new members, chess politicians are publicly bashing each other daily. Even though I have nothing to do with the management of this federation, I have been called by just about every four letter word in the English vocabulary in the past 2 years because I demanded for better and more positive chess promotion in America and I asked the politicians to conduct themselves better and more appropriately.
My questions are:
1. Will people still play chess if there is no USCF tomorrow?
2. Do people play chess because of the USCF?
3. What do you want to see happen with the USCF? Total changes and improvement or a new federation?
4. Do you condone chess politicians who see nothing wrong with publicly embarrassing chess and the USCF every single day?
5. What does it take to reform chess governance in America (and even FIDE)?
————————————————————–
Natrol, Inc. had to pay $250,000 for misleading advertisement and proposition last year.
http://www.sonoma-county.org/Da/press_releases/press_091404.htm
STEPHAN R. PASSALACQUASONOMA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
600 ADMINISTRATION DRIVE, RM 212-J SANTA ROSA, CA 95403 (707) 565-2311
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 09/14/04
Contact person(s): Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards – 565-3099Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos
Deputy District Attorney: Matthew Cheever Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California
CALIFORNIA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS REACH $250,000 SETTLEMENT OF MISLEADING ADVERTISING AND PROPOSITION 65 CASE WITH DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MANUFACTURER NATROL, INC.
Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua, Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein, and Solano County District Attorney David W. Paulson, announced a $250,000 settlement against Natrol, Inc., of Chatsworth, California, and its president Elliott Balbert. The defendants were charged in civil lawsuits filed by the district attorneys with making false and misleading advertising claims for their chitosan-based weight loss products, and with selling weight loss products that contained too much lead, in excess of that allowed by Proposition 65.
Natrol, Inc., manufactures and markets herbal teas, nutraceutical ingredients, sports nutrition products and dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and hormonal supplements, primarily under its Natrol brand.
Starting in 1998, it marketed Absorbitol Fat Binder, making claims that the chitosan ingredient in the product would cause the user to lose weight because it was a fat absorber, that it could bind “178% more fat than other brands” and it could bind 10.8 ml of fat “per gram of active ingredient”. In 2001, it introduced three new chitosan-based products: Chitosan 500 mg, Ultra Chitosan Fat Intercept and Ultra Chitosan Fat Intercept Plus, making similar fat binding claims for each of these products.
An investigation found that there is no valid scientific evidence to support claims that the ingestion of chitosan causes fat to be “trapped” or “bound” in the human G.I. tract, or that the use of chitosan-based dietary supplements causes any significant or noticeable weight loss results. The investigation also revealed that three of the products, Chitosan 500 mg, Ultra Chitosan Fat Intercept and Ultra Chitosan Fat Intercept Plus, contained lead in amounts that exceeded the 0.5 microgram daily limit allowed by Proposition 65.
Under the stipulated judgment, filed in Napa County Superior Court, defendants are fined $220,000 and will pay costs of $30,000. The judgment also imposes numerous requirements and prohibitions on Natrol and Balbert.
Specifically, defendants are prohibited from making any fat binding or weight loss claims about any chitosan-based product until they first possess valid scientific evidence to support such claims. In addition, they are ordered to provide clear and conspicuous Proposition 65 warnings for any chitosan-based products marketed in the future that expose the user to more than the 0.5 microgram daily limit allowed by Proposition 65.
Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan R. Passalacqua stated: ” I am proud of the efforts of our Environmental and Consumer Law Division, which, in conjunction with other District Attorney offices throughout the state, are working to protect the health and safety of our citizens.”
I am tired of these loudmouth politicians. I think a new federation is needed. No one can fix the messes now. I vote for a new federation.
James S.
How can we get rid of the crooked politicians? This isn’t what I want my children to deal with. I rather have them quit chess than witnessing such venom and filth.
Mary
Who made the deal with Natrol? Can the federation fire that person? I also vote for a new federation. I’m not renewing my membership when it expires in 2 months. I’m disgusted with the USCF.
I would play without the USCF. Actually some clubs are opting for programs like Chess Express to get ratings for their quads. If these companies can all use the same standard for ratings, and if their ratings were compatible with each other, who would need the USCF?
PS
If this means that you’re drawing battle lines, I wish you well
This has got to be the final straw. The USCF are antichrists.
God is more powerful than any demons and the evil such as those responsible for the atrocious intimidation and greed at the top of USCF cannot hide from the ultimate power of justice. I’m not even a religious person but I know this.
In Professional Baseball for example, we have 2 Leagues; “American” and “National”, and it’s been working this way for many years. Don’t see any reason why another chess organization couldn’t be worked out. Let’s face it, I would presume most players like myself who have been members of the USCF off and on for the last 25 years or so, are members so we can have a rating and participate in rated tourneys. It’s a shame that without government financial support , the USCF has to sell out to “pill” companies to cover costs. With membership declining, maybe another organization is something to look into. If anyone can bring this about Susan, if not you, who? Warm regards, Bruce Towell
According to various people, Beatriz Marinello and Elizabeth Shaughnessy were involved in this Natrol deal. I vote not to reelect Elizabeth and everyone should demand for Beatriz to resign. We don’t need people like this.
Carol W.
I don’t think the USCF should be dissolved because of this, but I do think the existing regime needs to go. USCF has some image repair needed that will take some time, but we shouldn’t throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak.
I believe that the editor is making a mountain out of a mole-hill over one supplement add by Natrol, and their susequent marketing of vitamins and herbs.
First, note that the product which Natrol marketed on the USCF web site contained no chitosan, only Vitamin B supplements and natural herbs with well-known properties. Second, note that many products with truly harmful side-effects, like anabolic steriods, are marketed in sports arenas that currently sponsor childrens or young adults sporting events, such as football games, basketball games, and wrestling matches in the United States. Note that many of these same vitamins, supplements, as well as truly harmful anabolic steroid compounds are available at general shopping-mall based “health” stores in the United States, as well.
In this day and age, when overachieving children trade stocks on their computers at home, do you really believe that young chess players–many of the best and brightest overachieving children and young adults–aren’t aware of vitamin and herbal supplements, as well as truly harmful anabolic steriods? When these same overachieving young adolescents in the fourteen to sixteen year old range currently attend local community colleges in “Running Start” programs as a matter of course, as well?
Finally, note that Natrol did not admit any guilt or negligence in their statement following the 2001 chitosan trial’s conclusion, and note that NO OTHER court in THE ENTIRE WORLD wasted their resources bringing charges against Natrol concerning chitosan, to date:
>>>>>>Natrol attorney Steven Spitz said his company has vigorously battled the actions filed by the prosecutors for the past three and a half years.
He said the company agreed to the entry of the judgment against it “without the final judgment constituting evidence or an admission by defendants regarding any issue of fact alleged in the complaint, and without defendants admitting any liability.”>>>>>>>>>
from the article:
DA’s office settles with herbal diet pill maker
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
By DAVID RYAN
Register Staff Writer
Napanews.com
In regards to the basic questions given:
1-Yes, I believe people will still play chess if there is no USCF. Despite the negative imaging of this debacle, there are more shining examples of American Chess to draw on (Morphy, Marshall & others).
2-Yes & No. As a national organization it can publicize Chess to a wide audience & this may be what has brought a number of members in, however many other players (myself included) were playing before we became members.
3-Neither option is pleasant; complete changes up top can over time probably make a difference. Setting up a new national organization totally from scratch is time consuming & has its own share of problems.
4-Not At All! If they refuse to promote Chess in the positive light deserved, throw them out.
5-To which I must ask, “When the reforms, & what is to be reformed are both made by human beings who are among other things fallible, what could really deal with this & still come out in all fairness to those who take part therein?”
–schnarre
1. Yes, would still play chess regardless of USCF.
2. No, people play chess in spite of USCF.
3. We need a totally new organization. In fact, we need a competing organization, and let the people choose.
4. I am embarrassed by the poor decisions made by the leadership of USCF as a whole in recent years. That does not mean each individual leader is at fault and some are new to the scene or are trying to fix things. But on the whole, the organization and the official actions are an embarrassment and a disgrace.
5. FIDE also seems poorly run, but has little bearing on amateurs like myself (except that I cannot give a simple answer to non-chessplayers who ask the simple question: “who is the current world chess champion?”!) FIDE does have a large effect on American chess professionals who are vital to American chess. I think the way to reform chess governance is to start competing organizations and let the market sort it out. Unfortunately, due to the fact that a new-USCF would not have standing within FIDE, any new organization would have an uphill battle in the international arena.
Whether the pill is safe or not, members have the right to know. Claiming the drug can help make chess players better is simply absurd.
The President of the USCF made this decision without consulting the scholastic council or other board members. She has no authority to do so. She has stepped over that boundary.
She should publicly apologize for this stupid mistake.
Is this the same President Marinello and board member Shaughnessy who refused to pay the bonuses to the US Women’s Olympiad Team?
Is this the same Shaughnessy who is running for the board again?
Is this the same Shaughnessy who defended Natrol when she was in Las Vegas last week?
Mike N.
I would play chess with or without the USCF. Who needs a bunch of chess politicians anyway?
Jeremy
Yes, it is the same Marinello and Shaughnessy. They’re the one behind the Natrol deal.
I didn’t vote for Shaughnessy this time. I voted for Tanner, John, Channing and Bauer.
Jerry H.
DAVID RYAN, get real. The USCF are teaching children that using drugs to aid performance is good. This is morally the lowest of the low.
Yes, this is the worst decision in years. It shows that the leadership of this federation has no moral. The sad part is both Marinello and Shaughnessy make their living teaching kids.
Mary
I share many of the sentiments Natrol debacle I have seen posted on this blog.
I also share some related thoughts at my blog at http://chessdad64.journalspace.com
chessdad64
SCARY Pictures
THey should be submitted for a Pulitzer prize or whatever award the best photograph of the year deserves.
I got chills when I saw the ignorant depravity of BeatrizM for all the world to witness in living color.
The only way to top that picture would be a copy of a Natrol stock certificate with her name on it.
Her silence is beyond belief though it is too late for apologies for something so inherently obscene.
WHen your bicycle gets all full of gunk after a few years, you give it an overhaul. You take the whole thing apart, soak the parts in gasoline or some other solvent, and put it back together, better than ever! The USCF needs an overhaul. The question is, HOW can we overhaul it? What would that even mean? Would replacing the present leadership be enough, or would more radical changes be needed?
The decision to peddle a drug that affects the brain disgusted me. The fact that they have severed their insane relationship with Natrol is good, but unfortunately that decision was based on political, not ethical, considerations. There does seem to be gross incompetence in the USCF, but I dread another splinter group like we had with Kasparov and FIDE. In the long run, has that helped?
I, personally, would probably quit USCF and join something that Susan Polgar (for instance) started, but I wonder if, in the long run, it would help chess in the US to have two groups. I am already confused enough by international chess, trying to understand who is world champion!
While it’s tempting to throw out the entire USCF and start over from scratch, I don’t see that as an attainable goal. At best, we’d create a competing organization, with probably the same dubious results as the multiple world champion competitions.
Better to improve the USCF from within.
The difference between S. Polgar and Kasparov is GK has always been political. Polgar is not.
I also agree that we should try to fix the USCF from within by getting rid of people like Shaughnessy & Marinello.
Unfortunately, Marinello has 2 more years. However, we can send a loud and clear message by not reelecting Shaughnessy.
Creating another federation may be too extreme now.
J. Campos
Susan Polgar was the first one who publicly spoke out against Natrol while Marinello signed the deal to promote this poison to our kids. Shaughnessy was also a part of this disaster. I guess we now know the integrity of these ladies.
James S.
I haven’t followed this until now. Did the USCF really sign a deal with Natrol or is it a joke? I hope it’s one of those dumb jokes. No federation is stupid enough to do something like this.
No. Unfortunately, it’s not a joke. Beatriz Marinello was behind the Natrol deal and Elizabeth Shaughnessy publicly endorsed and promoted Natrol. This was done without the awareness of the scholastic council or other board members.
James S.
I think Beatriz Marinello and Elizabeth Shaughnessy should be made to take the maximum dose of this drug every day to test if it is safe on the brain. It would obviously be tough to tell if they’d gone apeshit because of it since they already seem to be a pair of sith lords.
Speaking as a non-US national, it seems that USCF, much like other large organisations has been overrun by people who, either for personal gain or what they see as the good of their organisation, are more interested in raising finance than anything else. The claims made for Natrol’s product are so laughably unlikely that money is the only possible motivation for dealing with them. Sad but that’s the world we live in.
As a British amateur the business dealings of the USCF couldn’t bother me less apart from their seeming to encourage the taking of this rather dubious product.
People will always play our game, sometimes despite “governing bodies” but maybe the USCF needs competion – surely it doesn’t have a legal monopoly on the game. USCO anybody? Or, as I’m British, how about WCO?
I think it would be too costly to start a new organisation; it’s more economical to just renovate the existing one somehow and get good people managing it. There should be stalls selling chess books, not chess drugs. Books are how young chessplayers will become better.
I think that this board is simply a farce for Truong to post his naive, self-centered platform.
Excellent point! Sell chess books, not chess drugs! I vote to reform the USCF. There’s no need for a new federation now.
Dan,
I think the DEA or FBI should look into the Natrol deal and see who or what was exchanged for the USCF endorsment I cannot believe that Adult human beings supposedly intelligent could endorse a smart pill or drug of anykind after all the problems the Major sports leagues are having to endure due to the use of performance enhancing drugs, And these are adults. The use or endorsed use of a pill or drug that could enhance performance in children is complete negligence and the people and the USCF involved should be made an example of what happens when you harm our children Talk about Domestic Terrorism ?
The USCF needs proper leadership and it takes people who have only the best interest of the Chess playing community to do it. Our Professionals have to be better taken care off and treated for what they are the most valuable resource.we cannot afford to lose this talent because of situations like this. A New Federation could be the Answer and yes Mr. Truong has the best interest of the Kids in his Heart and if you feel any different you have never met the man.
Dan
1. Will people still play chess if there is no USCF tomorrow?
Absolutely! Chess predates the USCF by at least a few years!
2. Do people play chess because of the USCF?
People join the USCF to get a rating and play rated games — but the organisation itself has become increasingly irrelevant to the average chess player. Both scholastic chess and internet based chess developed and have continued to grow in popularity without much in the way of USCF involvement.
3. What do you want to see happen with the USCF? Total changes and improvement or a new federation?
The USCF has to realise that they are a very small organization with extraordinarily limited resources. It needs to come to grips with the fact that they have a few different kinds of customers and create ‘products’ that those customers want.
i. Traditional tournament chess (‘adult chess’) in America has been in decline for years. The combination of registration fees and travel accommodations makes attending tournaments rather expensive. Few responsible adults with families can make the time to regularly participate in 3~4 day tournaments — especially if it involves travel.
ii. Scholastic chess has a different emphasis and set of needs than traditional tournament chess and it deserves a focused, independent organisation. It’s not the USCF that can be credited for the tremendous growth in scholastic chess, but rather hundreds of local volunteers and organisations outside of the USCF structure. The USCF has benefitted from the growth, but it’s not really in a position to provide support and guidance. Granted the major national tournaments are great — but those cater to the elite and those that can afford the time and expense of traveling about the country. The heart of scholastic chess are the school clubs and local tournaments operating on a shoestring budget.
Take a look at the USCF Scholastic Council website:
http://www.geocities.com/chess_camp/update.html
Aside from the fact that it’s a ‘geocities’ site (rather unprofessional), it hasn’t been updated since spring of 2003. That’s what the USCF is doing for scholastic chess — the task simply lies beyond the organisation’s core competencies.
iii.
The USCF has missed the internet chess phenomenon. Period.
iv.
‘Professional’ chess players compose a miniscule percentage of national membership and an entirely different kind of customer from the rest. This also requires a separate organisation.
4. Do you condone chess politicians who see nothing wrong with publicly embarrassing chess and the USCF every single day?
I don’t know about ‘every single day,’ but the USCF leadership certainly seems rather prone to controversy. Part of this is that many of the most vocal members of the chess community are ‘socially challenged’ and find it difficult to accept other points of view or compromise. We’re a tough lot of people to satisfy and our national organisation reflects that fact.
The fact that the USCF chose to allow itself to be associated with Natrol, Inc. shows a real lack of judgement — that’s like the national PTA organisation associating itself with an herbal supplement manufacturer / distributor. ‘Pills’ and ‘kids’ in the same sentence is usually something that one avoids. This kind of lack of judgement seriously undermines the USCF’s own goal of providing leadership for scholastic chess.
5. What does it take to reform chess governance in America (and even FIDE)?
The FIDE is beyond the pale of reform. The leadership of the USCF needs to realise that it can’t do everything (and hasn’t), break itself up into a number of smaller and more focused sibling organisations — and then the entire current board needs to step down and allow a new crop of leaders to step forward.
The FBI was an excellent idea. There have been hearings in congress about steroids in sports to protect our children.
Something drastic has to be done here because in is untenable for Beatriz to be in a position of authority for another two years.
Is anyone else going to the Accoona computer match this in TimeSquare at 5 against the supposed FIDE world chess champ?
I’m glad GM Polgar is speaking out against Natrol. Someone has to for our kids. This was a horrendous decision by the USCF to endorse Natrol. I would never want my kids to take any chess enhancement drugs.
Barb
This may be naive of me but has Susan ever talked about the possibility of running for the board? I’m sure with her popularity among the members she would be a shoo in.
PS
Susan has always said she doesn’t want to be involved with chess politicians but with serious promoters of chess, and she is right about that.
It is important to have a chess federation in order to positively promote chess and to keep a national ratings system. It is extremely unfortunate, and something I did not know about when I voted, that the USCF has abused its name to promote 21st century snake oil. In order to reform the USCF, there has to be a concerted effort to create an organization which is truly not for profit and is transparent in its practices. Many of the problems arising from chess result from leadership that has overblown egos and little sense of the reality of the importance (or lack thereof) of chess. Chess is first and foremost a game, and a very fun and addicting game. It has been used for many purposes-political, status, and otherwise-but it still remains a game. Moreover, as far as games go, there is little money to be earned or made as compared to other more popular games and sports. If the chess world remembers this lesson, alot of its problems will straighten themselves out.
Eric in Iowa
Susan is a class act. She would never run with these lunatics. I hope she won’t. She’s so much better for chess if she stays on the outside helping. Nothing ever gets done with these politicians.
I’m only a class “E” player so take this for what its worth. My belief is that new leadership is needed at the USCF and hopefully this election will accomplish that. If another national chess organization is started it will lead to long-term chaos. Lets just retrench with new leadership. Bravo to you Susan for speaking out and caring.
I haven’t been following this very closely, as I rarely have the time to gab in [chess] forums these days. However, I would like to mention that I’ve been taking Natrol for two years and recently finished my freshman year at Cal Tech with a 3.6 GPA. I never take stimulants (caffeine, etc.) or intake sugar-laden beverages (Jolt, Coke, or Sports drinks). While I’ve supplemented my diet with Natrol, my mental alertness/performance has noticeably increased. Thank god for Natrol!
[To the previous anonymous] I guess you are one of the politicians then. Don’t expect anyone to believe such pathetic lies.
I’m glad you’re hooked on this drug but no thanks. I don’t want my kids on this stuff.
Mary
No stimulants, but taking “Natrol”? Hmm, not a very well thought out troll. For one, Natrol is not a product, but the company. Their drug’s are all named ‘brainspeed’. If you were taking it for two years you probably would know the actual name of the drug. Also, it would be an oxymoron to say one weren’t taking stimulants but were taking brainspeed. It acts on the same neural pathways as nicotine, another addictive stimulant.
Lesson: Trolls, do your homework!
[blue devil knight]: “Their drug’s are all named ‘brainspeed’. If you were taking it for two years you probably would know the actual name of the drug.” Lol. Very good point.
Another reason that troll is lying is that brainspeed has been out for a couple of months, but he says he has been taking it for two years 🙂
I think a better troll would be:
“I’ve been taking Natrol for ten years, and through trial and error experimentation have a positional advantage of 1.8 pawns for every tablet taken! I can’t sleep, I weight 22 pounds, and I spend $500 a day on these pills, but in ten years my rating has gone up from 1200 to 1201 with no training!”
This is the Russian chess camp’s latest secret weapon:
http://www.viagra.ru.com/article2.html
knight, I don’t need a rating to kick your sorry butt.
Well it’s obvious the ‘troll’ as you put it is lying Blue Devil Knight 😀
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