ECF Director elections for 2012/13

[Martin Regan]

For those of us who don't know the background, what does this have to do with Roger Edwards? Was he the Grading Manager or Home Chess Director or something like that?

Fear not, even as you read this "the Bedlam Brigade" are trawling through internet rumours, making inspired guesses on the basis of limited evidence, setting up meetings with friends of friends and monitoring on a second-by-second basis the Giddins blog.

Minds have already been made up. The evidence can come later. It was Raymond Keene

[Martin Regan]

Chap goes to Istanbul, as our representative. Tweets enthusiastically about how he's enjoying his holiday. Then suddenly resigns when he's supposed to be carrying out his responsibilities on our behalf.

I'm afraid the specific amount paid - or for that matter, sought - isn't really the issue. If you think it is then that's your privilege. We will have to differ.

Oh dear. Where to begin.

when he's supposed to be carrying out his responsibilities on our behalf

On what basis do you make that supposition? You have already stated that he is on holiday. It was the ECF payment to him for going on holiday to which you objected.

Please think clearly about what you are objecting to. Are you annoyed:

a) because CJ has taken a token sum of the ECF for what is in fact a private holiday?

b) that it is not in fact a holiday, but a working visit in which case CJ should not treat it like a holiday.

If a) then surely the size of the token sum is critical - because a few pounds to pay for coffee or dinner with FIDE officials would surely be reasonable if he was breaking into his own personal holiday time.

If b) then surely we should applaud the fact that apart from the "token sum" CJ has paid all his own expenses.

[IanDavis]

For those of us who don't know the background, what does this have to do with Roger Edwards? Was he the Grading Manager or Home Chess Director or something like that?

Fear not, even as you read this "the Bedlam Brigade" are trawling through internet rumours, making inspired guesses on the basis of limited evidence, setting up meetings with friends of friends and monitoring on a second-by-second basis the Giddins blog.

Minds have already been made up. The evidence can come later. It was Raymond Keene

One of the things I like about this forum, is the serious nature of the debate.

[Carl Hibbard]

I am in lanzarote with limited Internet coverage so moderation is rather limited sorry

[Carl Hibbard]

Hacking nearby hotel wifi is harder than it used to be

[Andy Howie]

Hacking nearby hotel wifi is harder than it used to be

*cough* knoppix

[Carl Hibbard]

VPN back to the UK is a little harder but seems fine

[Roger de Coverly]

For those of us who don't know the background, what does this have to do with Roger Edwards? Was he the Grading Manager or Home Chess Director or something like that?

As it was back in the days of the BCF, he was grading director not manager.

He inherited the implementation of a revised system for data collection and grading. In fact it was more or less the system still used today. The implementation didn't however go smoothly and he handed over to a successor with the system held together with sticky tape and lots of long hours. Getting it to work reliably required a few common sense tweaks and having it run by people who were not prepared to tolerate poor data.

I don't believe Martin Regan started playing graded chess until after the crisis had more or less passed.

[Gerard Killoran]

Martin, the First Law of Holes states 'When you are in one, stop digging'.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Mr Regan (please call me Andrew btw) I am not interested in conspiracy theories and have no connection to the `Bedlam brigade`. You have raised concerns about Roger Edwards' suitability to be ECF President, your opinions are to be respected, so therefore we need the facts before the election takes place, not after.

That said, following CJ de Mooi's resignation today the landscape has altered significantly.

[Alex McFarlane]

Martin, the First Law of Holes states 'When you are in one, stop digging'.

He's way too deep to stop digging.

My information is that the 'token' agreed with Andrew Farthing was sufficient to cover the costs of both Scottish team managers/FIDE Delegate and still leave enough over to buy refreshments for anyone he needed to entertain. The figure was between five and seven hundred pounds from normally reliable sources (please note the plural), though in fairness, it may never have been paid as Board members were querying it.

And further info for Martin. There was a former ECF Director who would have tried to broker a meeting with the three of us in Istanbul had it been possible. He did not see Lara and I as being the problem in achieving this. While I would still like to have such a meeting, the reasons for doing so have diminished significantly.

One final question for Martin. Do you still see my actions as those that have been most damaging to British chess? I have met several Commonwealth people here who were previously unknown to me who have offered support. That I think is a more accurate reflection of the damage Mr De Mooi has done.

I doubt if we will ever get an apology now but hopefully we are in a position where English chess can move forward. His resignation does however leave questions over the hire charge for Torquay which (again if my sources are correct) he gave a verbal assurance that he would underwrite. That I see now as being the problem most in need of attention.

[Ernie Lazenby]

I am currently on a very nice cruise around Norway. It just got better. pleased that Nigel seems to be doing the right thing which ought to help his position.(kind of predictable though) As for Mr De-Mooi I think perhaps we ought to wait until the information has been posted on the ECF web site and only then can we take it as read. (If it has been confirmed sorry if I am behind the times)

BTW I find Martins comments difficult to accept. perhaps we were spared when he stood down.

[Jonathan Bryant]

My information is that the 'token' agreed with Andrew Farthing was sufficient to cover the costs of both Scottish team managers/FIDE Delegate and still leave enough over to buy refreshments for anyone he needed to entertain. The figure was between five and seven hundred pounds from normally reliable sources (please note the plural), though in fairness, it may never have been paid as Board members were querying it.

This is not the most surprising thing I've read today. For various reasons, I believe it is not quite the end of the story either.

[Martin Regan]

One final question for Martin. Do you still see my actions as those that have been most damaging to British chess?

Actually, Alex I do.

I believe that in the matter of "tee-shirt gate" Mr De Mooi made two errors of judgement. Wearing the Tee-shirt and ,much more seriously, going to the press. Together these were reason enough that he should offer his resignation. He did - the board did not accept. I also believed, certainly at first, that De Mooi owned both Laura and yourself an apology.

I should have had little problem if the debate about Mr De Mooi's competence as a President continued - but it went much too far.

An entire tsunami of insult and bile has been heaped both on him and on Andrew Farthing as a bystander- far, far viler than was ever inflicted on you or Laura. The two men have openly been called liars, one has been all but accused of thieving, and both of having the ethics of rats. You may not have made most of these accusations, but you can no more walk away from some responsibility for them than De Mooi can walk away from Ray Keene's initial tweets.

In the time since the original incident, I think as Peter Sowray hinted at, the English and indeed British Chess scene, has become an uglier place.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Nothing on the size of the "token" Martin?