Apart from some much-needed constitution amendments, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has decided to take a zero-tolerance stand against corruption and indiscipline. \
All 21 amendments, including a few to set right some startling anomalies, were passed unanimously in the Annual General Meeting here on Thursday as part of the process to fall in line with the Sports Code of the Sports Ministry.
These include shifting of headquarters from Chennai to New Delhi, formation of the Ethics Commission, an Appellate Authority and giving the competent courts in New Delhi “the exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide any and all cases against the AICF.”
The AGM also decided to disaffiliate an already-suspended Bengal Chess Association and gave affiliation to Sara Bangla Daba Sangsthan.
Show-cause notice
The AICF joint-secretary Atanu Lahiri has been issued a show-cause notice for anti-AICF activities. Further, an FIR will be filed against Lahiri’s colleague from Bengal, Antarip Roy for maligning AICF on social media platforms.
Y. Suman, erstwhile office-bearer of the Andhra Pradesh, faces an FIR for having not paid the prize-money of ₹20 lakh following a tournament in the State.
“These decisions are part of AICF’s ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to corruption. We will recover the last rupee from the defaulters in different parts of the country,” declared AICF President Sanjay Kapoor after the meeting.
The meeting also decided to send Grandmaster K. Humpy’s application for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna this year. The applications of GMs Vidit Gujarthi, B. Adhiban, S. P. Sethuraman and M. R. Lalith Babu will be forwarded for Arjuna Awards. For Dhyan Chand Award, GM Abhijit Kunte will be AICF’s choice.
