CJ Banned?

[Brendan Brown]

Maybe the "powers that be" got confused and thought the president should not be endorsing a single chess opening over others.

[Paul Cooksey]

I really, really hope it was the venue not the ECF. I don't believe all publicity is good publicity, and there is a media friendly story here.

[Joey Stewart]

This is starting to sound like some sort of tabloid news story - no need for any actual facts, just make a few assumptions, get a quote from a leading "expert" and the job is done.

Why dont you lot concentrate on some chess instead of making wild speculations, long before you know the facts!

[Jonathan Bryant]

I really, really hope it was the venue not the ECF. I don't believe all publicity is good publicity, and there is a media friendly story here.

But why would the venue have any say over what a person can wear when they present prizes at an event?

Ray's getting his information direct from CJ (and while I applaud his stand, I think it not unreasonable to ask whether he is cementing a useful relationship here) so I think - in this case - we can assume it's accurate until we hear something to the contrary.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Maybe the "powers that be" got confused and though the president should not be endorsing a single chess opening over others.

Especially that one. Playing the stonewall crippled my chess progress for five years.

[Jonathan Bryant]

... wild speculations....

You perhaps missed the quoted CJ tweet earlier?

HEre's a direct link.

http://twitter.com/#!/cjdemooi/status/99776561737244672

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I'm going to wait until the full story emerges. And not go by what is said on Twitter.

[Ian Kingston]

The argument that I'm hearing is that when someone is representing an organisation in an official capacity, then they should not be seen to be promoting another organisation when doing so - there is the possibility of a conflict of interest. If that is the ECF's stance, then they have a defensible position. Then again, I suspect that no one would have raised any objection to (say) a WWF t-shirt or anything similarly uncontroversial.

Personally, I think the decision was wrong both in principle and for practical reasons. I'll be interested to hear what the ECF has to say.

[Ben Purton]

This is a proper disgrace. Regardless of if its the venue, in my view given how much he did for this championship, move the prize giving outside, or just storm the venue. Really no place for this.

Ben

[Paul McKeown]

This sounds like a very poor decision, I hope the ECF comes out with an explanation soon. I would have thought that the great majority of chess players wouldn't give a fig about someone's sexual orientation and, indeed, would have supported a campaign for greater equality and openness about such things in British life.

[btw. I do hope this is not time for an intervention from Mark Howitt, renowned equal rights campaigner of these boards.]

[Jonathan Bryant]

If that is the ECF's stance, then they have a defensible position.

They would have had they shown any interest in CJs existing private activities and how they might conflict with the interests of the ECF. The association with RDK being a prime example.

Then again, I suspect that no one would have raised any objection to (say) a WWF t-shirt or anything similarly uncontroversial.

It's hard to believe you're wrong.

[Paul Cooksey]

ECF Mission Statement:
‘To promote the game of chess, in all its forms, as an attractive means of cultural and personal advancement. To foster the highest level of achievement in the game. To make the Federation’s services and membership available to all, without restriction; and to promote equal opportunities in a positive manner.’

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Can we wait for more on this to be published before too much speculation takes place?

[Jonathan Bryant]

[btw. I do hope this is not time for an intervention from Mark Howitt, renowned equal rights campaigner of these boards.]

To be fair, given that young Master Howitt won't have the opportunity to use the phrase "should go back to their own country", we can probably expect that he won't get involved.

[Paul McKeown]

[btw. I do hope this is not time for an intervention from Mark Howitt, renowned equal rights campaigner of these boards.]

To be fair, unless young master Howitt given that he won't have the opportunity to use the phrase "should go back to their own country", we can probably expect that he won't get involved.

I think you may have missed some of his Paleolithic views on sexuality, which, to be fair, is probably beneficial to your state of mind.