Players, AICF at loggerheads

VISAKHAPATNAM: Chess players and the All India Chess Federation, it seems, are in for a prolonged battle over the deduction of 10 per cent from prize money.
Just before the start of the 42nd National A here, the players had, via a letter under the aegis of Indian Chess Player''s Association, objected to AICF''s decision to stop that practice from January 1, 2005. But according to some senior players the AICF has not yet responded to their demand for withdrawal of the deduction the implementation date or from November 19, the date on which the AICF AGM decided to withdraw it.
The players reviewed the situation during an informal meeting here on Thursday and have reiterated their demand for return of all the money that had been so far deducted as per this rule since June, when the decision was taken.
Before the National A we got a word from the organisers that AICF secretary PT Ummer Koya has accepted the demand and that the money would not be deducted. Though the National A organisers are not making such deduction, we got to know that money was deducted at the Junior Nationals at Tirupathi and at another event in Thane.
"Now that Koya has not kept his word, we have demanded that the AICF return all the money they have deducted till now," said Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua.
Earlier, Koya himself had promised at a meeting during the Pune International that steps would be taken at the AGM in Kochi to withdraw this rule. But now the AGM on November 19 has decided that it will be done from January 1.