Accusation against Alejandro Ramirez

[Roger Lancaster]

I barely know Nigel so I'm hardly an authoritative source but, from what little I know, Nigel has a reputation for being occasionally socially inept - but nothing more that I'm aware of. Until I hear otherwise from what I'd regard as a credible source, and that doesn't include chatter here by anyone who knows the man even less than I do, that's all I choose to believe.

[Mark Howitt]

Look up chessbase articles... another GM said he told him "Women like to be touched."

[Roger Lancaster]

Look up chessbase articles... another GM said he told him "Women like to be touched."

Mark. I'm not an assiduous follower of Chessbase and would prefer not to plough through all their stuff looking for your source. Since you have no reservation about naming Nigel, perhaps you'd also be good enough to identify the "another GM".

[Simon Myles]

I've really enjoyed following the forum over the last few years, though I am not sure that going down the route of a gossip column and innuendo is the way it should be taken as there are other outlets that cater for such tastes and the content here is largely professional and informative, though I appreciate I rarely post and may be in the minority.

[Thomas Rendle]

I barely know Nigel so I'm hardly an authoritative source but, from what little I know, Nigel has a reputation for being occasionally socially inept - but nothing more that I'm aware of. Until I hear otherwise from what I'd regard as a credible source, and that doesn't include chatter here by anyone who knows the man even less than I do, that's all I choose to believe.

I would regard the claims as credible, and in line with the dozens of (admittedly 2nd hand) stories I've heard over the years.

[Roger Lancaster]

This thread is ostensibly about Ramirez where I'd imagine that rumours had swirled around for years without corroboration (even in the court of public opinion, far less legally) until Jen Shahede came forward. In the wider world, Harvey Weinstein appears to have been a far worse example of the same thing happening. As a man, I'm not best placed to judge how the women in question must have felt but I can sense understandable nervousness about being the first woman to make a public denouncement of a powerful individual. What the two cases just mentioned seem to indicate is that, if a man is a serial offender as opposed to someone who behaves inappropriately on a single occasion, once one acorn falls from a tree others will follow.

[Roger Lancaster]

I barely know Nigel so I'm hardly an authoritative source but, from what little I know, Nigel has a reputation for being occasionally socially inept - but nothing more that I'm aware of. Until I hear otherwise from what I'd regard as a credible source, and that doesn't include chatter here by anyone who knows the man even less than I do, that's all I choose to believe.

I would regard the claims as credible, and in line with the dozens of (admittedly 2nd hand) stories I've heard over the years.

Noted, Tom, and you're almost certainly better-informed than I am - although that's still short of first-hand evidence.

[LawrenceCooper]

I barely know Nigel so I'm hardly an authoritative source but, from what little I know, Nigel has a reputation for being occasionally socially inept - but nothing more that I'm aware of. Until I hear otherwise from what I'd regard as a credible source, and that doesn't include chatter here by anyone who knows the man even less than I do, that's all I choose to believe.

I would regard the claims as credible, and in line with the dozens of (admittedly 2nd hand) stories I've heard over the years.

Noted, Tom, and you're almost certainly better-informed than I am - although that's still short of first-hand evidence.

If there was anyone with first hand evidence it would be reasonable to ask why they didn't do anything to stop it.

[Matt Bridgeman]

I would regard the claims as credible, and in line with the dozens of (admittedly 2nd hand) stories I've heard over the years.

Noted, Tom, and you're almost certainly better-informed than I am - although that's still short of first-hand evidence.

If there was anyone with first hand evidence it would be reasonable to ask why they didn't do anything to stop it.

There’s no limitation on this sort of thing in the UK. Sabrina could walk into her local police station today with a friend. Give a statement. They’d forward it to the main police station in the area of the 1998 British Championships. I’d guarantee they’d take it extremely seriously in this day and age. It would probably take an hour! At a minimum the GM in question would end up with a voluntary interview under caution, and if there are further witnesses or even people she spoke with immediately after the incident the CPS would probably run it. Conviction would have a minimum term on the sex offenders register attached to it.

[MJMcCready]

A lot of people are saying Nigel Short in public now.

Could you provide a link to this please.

[Roger Lancaster]

What this thread doesn't do is indicate clearly what course of action should be taken by any women (or men, for that matter) who consider themselves to have been physically assaulted by other ECF members - particularly, but not exclusively, prominent members of the ECF such as grandmasters - during a chess-related event. The ECF website shows the names of two safeguarding officers who can be emailed at [email protected] although, to be honest, I have real doubt whether they have sufficient clout to deal with alleged offences by high-profile ECF figures.

In high-profile cases, and only those, I'd recommend going straight to the top. Dominic Lawson is ECF president but that's largely a non-executive role as Dominic is, first and foremost, a journalist and likely (although I'm guessing) to assess anything in that capacity. Probably a better idea, although I don't believe we've met, is to contact ECF chief executive Mike Truran who seems a man of integrity. ECF directors aren't currently permitted to post on this forum but I notice that Mike is a (necessarily silent!) member of this forum so you can PM him - or email him at [email protected].

The previous paragraph isn't intended to imply lack of confidence in other ECF directors but, if 10 directors each receive one complaint, chances are that none will feel s/he has enough evidence to go forward - whereas, if one director receives 10 complaints, it's a different matter.

The above was written before I saw Matt Bridgeman's post. Of course, contacting the police is another way of handling the matter.

[John Sellen]

I've really enjoyed following the forum over the last few years, though I am not sure that going down the route of a gossip column and innuendo is the way it should be taken as there are other outlets that cater for such tastes and the content here is largely professional and informative, though I appreciate I rarely post and may be in the minority.

I totally agree with you Simon
I feel very uncomfortable about some of the comments on this thread

[Ian Thompson]

A lot of people are saying Nigel Short in public now.

Could you provide a link to this please.

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments ... _sexually/

[NickFaulks]

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments ... _sexually/

There does seem to be unanimity, although comments from people hiding behind pseudonyms never carry quite the same weight.

So far I have still only seen PHN ( more or less ) come out in public.

[NickFaulks]

Probably a better idea, although I don't believe we've met, is to contact ECF chief executive Mike Truran

I don't suppose it matters which director they approach, although the Chairman might be an obvious choice.

Sabrina's own suggestion, that it isn't worth bothering because any such complaint will not be investigated properly, is entirely unhelpful and should be ignored.