CHENNAI: Team selection for Online Chess Olympiad has become another point of dispute in the All India Chess Federation (AICF). There are claims that two warring factions have selected different teams, which is unlikely, considering that ranking is the sole criterion for selection. There is confusion nonetheless, with both sides accusing each other of causing it.
The Online Olympiad is an initiative of world body FIDE, to be held from July 22 to August 30. National federations can send six-member teams. Teams have to include at least two women, one girl under 20 and a boy under 20. There can be reserve players for each of the six slots. The AICF faction headed by Bharat Singh Chauhan has released a list of players.
Chauhan said this was done in consultation with the selection committee. Names of Viswanathan Anand, Vidit Gujrathi, P Harikrishna (reserve), B Adhiban (reserve), Koneru Humpy, D Harika, Bhakti Kulkarni (reserve), Tania Sachdev (reserve), Nihal Sarin, R Praggnanandhaa, R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh feature in this list. Chauhan said the faction headed by president PR Venketrama Raja has also selected a team, where the last four names are different.
Vijay Deshpande — who is acting secretary according to the Raja group which suspended Chauhan in March — said he has not selected any team, but sent names to the selection committee for approval. Both sides said there is time for the names to be sent to FIDE and that the matter should be sorted by then. “We sent tentative names for the approval of the committee. For under-20, I suggested the national championship list, but the committee told me to take names from the ranking list. We have sent those also and are waiting for the green signal from the committee.
I don’t think there will be different teams. We are hoping to release the names on Saturday. I can’t comment on words others are spreading to misguide,” said Deshpande. Chauhan said he, too, is going by the rule book. “I have followed what AICF rules prescribe and consulted the selection committee, which approved the names I forwarded.
But the other faction has got in touch with players who should not be considered if follows the rankings.” It can be noted that even though the other faction doesn’t recognise Chauhan as secretary, it was he who attended a meeting with the sports ministry last week, along with Raja. This suggests the ministry sees him as secretary. Eventually, if names in two teams are different, which ones will be accepted is the question. Meanwhile, players remain uncertain.