Complying with the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) order, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has removed the restrictive undertaking that players had to give while registering themselves with the chess body.
Chennai:
“It was a ‘wow’ moment for me when I tried to register again as a chess player. The undertaking that I had to sign that I will not play in any unauthorised tournament or championship was not there in the player registration form,” Joshi told over phone from Delhi. Joshi said she had completed the registration process on February 10, paying the requisite fees.
“Earlier, when I had registered with the AICF in 2015 and 2018, the undertaking was there,” added Joshi. “The restrictive condition was not there when I tried to register this time.” AICF President PR Venketrama Raja had told that a committee was looking into the CCI order.
On his part, AICF Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan declined to confirm or deny the change in player registration conditions. “Since the matter is in the court, I have nothing to comment on this,” he said. The AICF has gone on appeal against the CCI order in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
Reacting to the development, Duggal said: “It is an eyewash. State associations affiliated to AICF have not removed the condition. Further, the condition exists in the upcoming tournament brochures.” Duggal added that their FIDE Elo rating has not been restored.
However, two players, Gurpreet Pal Singh and Karun Duggal, fighting for the players’ rights, dismissed the AICF move as ‘eyewash’. The new development came to light when a Delhi-based player, Savitri Joshi, tried to re-register herself as a player. She was banned by AICF in 2010 for playing in a tournament that was not authorised by the chess body.
“It was a ‘wow’ moment for me when I tried to register again as a chess player. The undertaking that I had to sign that I will not play in any unauthorised tournament or championship was not there in the player registration form,” Joshi told over phone from Delhi. Joshi said she had completed the registration process on February 10, paying the requisite fees.
“Earlier, when I had registered with the AICF in 2015 and 2018, the undertaking was there,” added Joshi. “The restrictive condition was not there when I tried to register this time.” AICF President PR Venketrama Raja had told that a committee was looking into the CCI order.
On his part, AICF Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan declined to confirm or deny the change in player registration conditions. “Since the matter is in the court, I have nothing to comment on this,” he said. The AICF has gone on appeal against the CCI order in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
Reacting to the development, Duggal said: “It is an eyewash. State associations affiliated to AICF have not removed the condition. Further, the condition exists in the upcoming tournament brochures.” Duggal added that their FIDE Elo rating has not been restored.