Declan Lovelock

[Jon Underwood]

Seeing the Dorset congress return reminded me of the last time (I think) it was held - won by Declan Lovelock. Does anyone know what happened to him?

[Matt Mackenzie]

Well an obvious place to look is the ECF rating site, which says no games from him since early 2020.

[John Upham]

Seeing the Dorset congress return reminded me of the last time (I think) it was held - won by Declan Lovelock. Does anyone know what happened to him?

I could tell what I was told about his chess unmasking in public but I don't wish to worry Carl.

[Martin Clancy]

Seeing the Dorset congress return reminded me of the last time (I think) it was held - won by Declan Lovelock. Does anyone know what happened to him?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/******-********/

I could tell what I was told about his chess unmasking in public but I don't wish to worry Carl.

It might worry more than Carl that this is a link to the wrong Declan! This one left University before the one you intended to identify left school.

[John Upham]

Seeing the Dorset congress return reminded me of the last time (I think) it was held - won by Declan Lovelock. Does anyone know what happened to him?

I could tell what I was told about his chess unmasking in public but I don't wish to worry Carl.

It might worry more than Carl that this is a link to the wrong Declan! This one left University before the one you intended to identify left school.

Good spot. Please remove the URL from the quoted bit please.

[Roger Lancaster]

Seeing the Dorset congress return reminded me of the last time (I think) it was held - won by Declan Lovelock. Does anyone know what happened to him?

I could tell what I was told about his chess unmasking in public but I don't wish to worry Carl.

Last statement I've seen on record, and I've omitted some preamble along with the name of the forumite invited to apologise, was as follows

The Bournemouth & District Chess League (B&DCL) and Dorset County Chess Association (DCCA) wish to make it unequivocally clear that no evidence to support the allegations of cheating made on the EC Forum has been uncovered by our organisations and we are very concerned and disappointed to see how quick to condemn some forum contributors have been, simply on the basis of supposition, conjecture and circumstantial evidence. Furthermore, one poor tournament performance by a 15 year old wearing a cap is hardly valid proof.

Mr (name redacted) may be in no doubt about Declan's guilt but unless he is prepared to elaborate on sketchy findings to date we would, with respect, advise him to formally apologise to Declan and his family for these flippant and inflammatory remarks, preferably on the EC Forum as soon as possible. We would like to see a positive response but not to do so would necessitate us taking further action as this may already have had an adverse affect on a promising chess career that has hardly began. For our part we shall continue to keep a watching brief without jumping to conclusions and suggest others do the same.

Alan Dommett - B&DCL President
Martin Simons - B&DCL Chairman
Ian Clark - DCCA President

That statement was made more than 4 years ago so, if anyone can supply the results of the "watching brief" which B&DCL and DCCA were keeping, or indeed what "further action" might have ensued, that might be of interest in dispelling or confirming any "unmasking in public". Needless to say, I'm interested here only in facts - notably, what further steps did those organisations take - and not speculation.

[Roger de Coverly]

. Needless to say, I'm interested here only in facts - notably, what further steps did those organisations take - and not speculation.

It's known that he withdrew from the Dorset Rapidplay which took place on the final weekend before the Covid shutdown. Overtaken by events would summarise matters as the organisations involved shut down their regular OTB activities.

(edit)
This looks to have been the last word on the subject.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10438&start=315#p241040
(/edit)

[Matt Mackenzie]

Hopefully he will return to chess at some point and maybe even play that "match against a strong local player" referred to above.

[Roger Lancaster]

That seems to answer the "Whatever happened to" question - thank you, RdeC - and I suspect that good taste requires that the subject be closed.