Mehul Gohil surrenders chess title in protest against ‘dubious rules’
What you need to know:
- Gohil said he was renouncing his title as a protest against the federation over what he termed as a “non-progressive move”.
Just days after national ladies’ chess champion Sanjana Deshpande was stripped of her title for not being a Kenyan, the men’s champion Mehul Gohil has relinquished his to show support for the teenager.
Gohil, in a letter sent to Chess Kenya and seen by Daily Nation Sport, said he was renouncing his title, which he won last December, as a protest against the federation over what he termed as a “non-progressive move”.
Chess Kenya last week sent Sanjana an email citing clause number 10.3 of the national body’s constitution which says the title of a national champion shall be a reserve of Kenyan citizens, a decision that sparked outrage in the chess circles with many terming the move as retrogressive and racially instigated.
Gohil admitted that by continuing to stay as the national men’s champion he was endorsing the backward values that do not believe in multiculturalism, multiethnicism and embracing and befriending all kinds of people whether citizens or non-citizens.
“I believe by continuing to remain a national champion, I am endorsing the non-progressive views as highlighted by the actions of your office. I cannot do that. How can I as Kenyan champion continue to enjoy the privileges of a champion and the status that comes with it whilst my fellow Kenyan, the ladies champion is stripped of her title just because of a mere clause? posed Gohil.
He wondered why the constitutional clause was enforced retroactively and the announcement made two months after the national event was held and Sanjana allowed to take part and even win the title.
“If a Kenyan resident cannot become a national champion, then why did your office not at the outset state that only citizens can win it? Why non-citizens were even welcomes to come and play? Were they allowed to participate only in order to add to the entry fee collection? He posed.
He called on the disciplinary action to be taken against the relevant officials for allowing the constitution to be contravened and making the national championship a farce.
