Government Directive Compliments AICF
By Arvind Aaron

The Ministry of Sport in India had sent a directive to Sports Federations with the subject "Measures against age  fraud in sports" on Nov 25, 2009 to ban players upto two years for first detection and five years for subsequent detection.

This is a welcome tonic letter to honest law abiding citizens. Only a small number of people are involved in these  activities and the Government has taken the same level of importance for "age related fraud" as regards "doping".

"Each Federation shall be required to maintain a national register of athletes with state-wise details, which will be a public document."  "The Federation should notify in advance the list of empanelled hospitals for conduct of age related medical tests. The hospitals should be chosen on the basis of highest standards and credibility. Preference should be given to Government Hospitals meeting these requirements."

The letter with reference No. F.32-18/2009 -SP. III, Dated the 25th November, 2009 authorises all sports federations/associations/bodies to take appropriate measures to check age fraud, on the same lines as anti-doping measures, as both amount to cheating, which is violative of the basic spirit of sport.  Identity Card

"The identity card containing the date of birth of the player should be issued only after the Federation has fully  satisfied itself about the age of the player." "Production of athlete identity card for participation in national and state competitions and in selection trials for international competitions should be made mandatory with effect from 01.02.2010."

The All India Chess Federation is one of the pioneering associations in handling age related fraud since the new  office bearers led by D.V. Sundar took office from 2005. Age related tests were conducted in the field of chess for the first time at the National Under-9 Chess Championship at Chennai in June 2005 and from then it has been  routinely followed by all associations conducting age related event. Parents can now be sure that their children are playing opponents within the same age group and not overaged opponents. The recent Government move moreorless  compliments what AICF started by itself in 2005.

Nothing much will change in chess since the major change happened in 2005 and the house has been set in order since. Now, chess associations have more teeth to handle age related issues after this recent ruling by the Central Government's Sports Ministry.