English Chess Forum

Thought I'd start a new thread with this major announcement regarding FIDE regulating online chess. Here is the press release which contains a pdf of the new regulations. There is a lot here even an offer from FIDE to provide a free lawyer if those accused of cheating cannot afford one!

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:47 pm

There is a lot here even an offer from FIDE to provide a free lawyer if those accused of cheating cannot afford one!

If FIDE and national federations continue to use sites with their own unilateral and undisclosed processes for banning players, safeguards designated by FIDE have little practical value.

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:47 pm

There is a lot here even an offer from FIDE to provide a free lawyer if those accused of cheating cannot afford one!

Where is that?

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 3:19 pm

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:47 pm

There is a lot here even an offer from FIDE to provide a free lawyer if those accused of cheating cannot afford one!

Where is that?

My apologies, I didn't check this properly before I put the post out. This was not in the regulations but merely a demand that someone asked for in response to para 4 of Appendix B which states: "Statistical evidence may lead to the assumption that a cheating offence has been committed unless a player can prove on the balance of probabilities that he/she was playing honestly." This leads to a situation where a player is immediately found guilty and has to prove his or her innocence, when its normally the other way around. If this entails costs and the claim of cheating is dismissed then the accused would be out of pocket through no fault of their own. Therefore it follows that if the accused has no money at all then they would not be able to obtain any legal advice and may have to concede the case whether or not they were innocent. So the demand was that FIDE should pick up the bill and not as I claimed that they have actually said they would do so.

Indeed this is an important point because paragraph 1 of Appendix E states: "Sanctions imposed for an online cheating offence may be extended to OTB chess. A sanction specified in the FIDE Code of Ethics as a one year-ban may be reduced to 6 months for OTB chess."

So if you're accused of cheating at online chess but are innocent and if you don't have any money to fight the accusation you could get banned from OTB as well as online chess.

Good question from Nick F and a welcome clarification by Chris R, above.

A couple of related points from Appendix I of the new regs. PDF -

G.2.5 All Complaints based solely on the assumption that a person is playing stronger than expected due to his/her rating will be not be considered.

I.6 Each party involved in an investigation is responsible for its own costs directly or indirectly associated with the case.

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 3:51 pm

My apologies, I didn't check this properly before I put the post out.

No worries, it's just that I was one of the people supposed to have signed that off, and it is surprising what you can miss.

So if you're accused of cheating at online chess but are innocent and if you don't have any money to fight the accusation you could get banned from OTB as well as online chess.

To be honest, I'm not sure how you are supposed to fight an accusation even if you have loads of money. For a serious test case, my own services are available on a win only basis.

9.9 Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted when visible on camera.

Perhaps the fear is that smoke may obscure the camera.