On 18 September 2024, Chess Limpopo and Chess SA published Circular 1 for the Mzansi Inter-Provincial Youth Chess Championships (MIYCC) set to take place from 15 to 19 December 2024 at The Ranch Hotel/Resort in Polokwane.
The MIYCC is being packaged as an inter-provincial tournament but the number of teams being invited to attend is based on the number of regions in each province.
The Chairperson of the LOC, Joe Mahomole, confirmed that provinces can decide which teams they send and could practically send one Provincial team and a team for each region. This means that the event is not a true inter-provincial and very similar to what we have known to be the South African Junior Chess Team Championships (SAJCC).
It is clear from the confusion that the provinces and regions were not consulted in the development of this tournament, despite these bodies being responsible for the selection and logistics of the participants at extremely short notice. It is understood that the provinces have raised many concerns but the LOC and Chess SA are insistent to proceed with the tournament regardless of the issues and challenges raised by their members. This is consistent with the actions of our previous Chess SA leadership.
Although there are many issues with the MIYCC event, I am going to focus this first article on the financial considerations of this inaugural event. What does #ChessBelongsToEveryone mean and is Chess SA ExBo delivering their promise?
Cost of participation at the MIYCC
The following is a summary of the estimated financial costs in order for a primary school player with an accompanying parent to participate in the 2024 MIYCC, based on the location of the player:
The following is a summary of the estimated financial costs in order for a high school or adult player without an accompanying parent to participate in the 2024 MIYCC, based on the location of the player:
In order to reduce costs of participation some provinces/regions are tirelessly investigating using a buses or trains, but this will require travel times in excess of 24 hours. Affected parents or adult players would need to take additional leave before and after the tournament. A return bus trip using Intercape from Cape Town to Polokwane is over R4,000 per person for a return trip.
The above analysis does not take into consideration that appointed coaches would need to be reimbursed for their important role to play in these events. Cost savings could be achieved by allocating more than one team per coach. In some instances a parent already travelling may serve as a manager to reduce costs.
Deserving players vs “those who can afford”
As can be seen from the above analysis it would not be unreasonable to conclude that participation would, at minimum, cost travelling players R5k to R15k. With only 9 weeks to the opening moves, provinces and/or regions are frantically finalising team selections (some without any trials being held in 2024) and appointing LOC’s to administer the logistical processes (i.e. appointing coaches/managers, procuring uniforms, coordinating travel and accommodation arrangements).
With first payment deadline being 25 October 2024 and full payment required by 30 November 2024, this leaves very little time for fundraising to ensure that all deserving players participate and this event does not come down to “those who can afford”!!
Looming FIDE suspension
This brings me to the Entry fee of R 650 per player. As noted above, the LOC has invited over 5,000 players but realistically we do not expect this many participants.
It is well known that Chess SA owes FIDE a significant sum of money in relation to rating and other fees and that Chess SA is facing imminent suspension by FIDE for failure to pay these fees. Suspension by FIDE will be devastating to our players as they will be prevented from participating in international events and cannot achieve South African colours, thereby impacting on their schooling and potential loss of bursaries, etc.
Is it possible that this event is being used to fund the urgent repayment of this FIDE debt? Has the MIYCC become the “new SAJCC”, a tool to raise funds to settle mismanaged FIDE debt? How much do they reasonable expect to collect and why should only a handful of chess players be left with the burden to raise these funds?
If #ChessBelongsToEveryone then why are we calling on a small group of parents to pay the fees and not including the entire chess community to solve this crisis. Why are we not looking to host mass participation, inter-regional events in each province where participation costs are significantly reduced but transparently allocate a portion of the entry fee to the FIDE fund. How about levying a nominal tournament fee for every player in a Chess SA rated tournament to be collected and paid over by tournament organisers?
Where is proper leadership in chess in South Africa?
The enthusiasm of the new Chess SA Exco to host a national tournament must be commended but this is problematic when it is clearly not properly thought out, they failed to consult with their provinces/regions who are the ones left to administer and coordinate at very short notice without any terms of reference. Their provinces’ concerns raised are not being considered, as the ExBo and LOC seems blindly adamant to proceed at any cost to the chess community (why?)!! Furthermore, you cannot be organising a selection tournament and then adjusting the selection policy to fit the tournament format – selection policy should be updated, published for comment and ultimately approved by National Council before implementation.
It would have been far more appropriate to sort out policies, consult all stakeholders and then host this event in 2025 giving administrators, parents and players a clear path to success and adequate time to develop policies, host trials, raise funds, plan logistics, etc.
The provinces/regions are left with the mammoth logistical tasks for their players’ to participate. At what point should they consider boycotting this event in the interest of all their players?
I would like to note that I am not opposed to a national tournament of this nature under the correct conditions, format and timing. I plan to post further article(s) addressing the other issues related to this event:
- How was the MIYCC awarded to Limpopo Chess, was there a transparent open tender process including budgets, etc.?
- Selection of provincial or regional teams at short notice without policy or trials.
- Inappropriate use of the MIYCC as a selection “wild card” tournament for the South African Junior Closed Chess Championships (SAJCCC). Status of current Chess SA selection policy and amendments thereto? What alternatives were considered?
- Can Chess SA host an expanded SAJCCC tournament, considering the conditions at the 2024 event? Is there any purpose to the SAJCCC if we cannot avoid FIDE suspension?
About the Writer: Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson is a chess parent, beginner chess coach, administrator, organizer, provincial arbiter and for his real work a Chartered Accountant (SA) and Registered Auditor. He also served as Chess WP Youth Director and is currently acting-chairperson of Metro North Schools Chess. He is also proudly the founder of the South African Chess Hub which promotes chess in South Africa and aid tournament organisers with the registrations for their events, administering over 15,600 bookings and collecting over R2.2m for tournament organisers since October 2020.
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Circular 1 – 18 September 2024
Email: paul@chesshub.org.za