By Makutu Manneh
Some Gambian chess players have complained of unfair treatment by the Gambia Chess Federation Executive resorting to their boycott of the National Chess tournament.
The concerned players told Foroyaa that they were surprised to be informed on Saturday 28th December 2019 that the National Chess Tournament was to hold with an amount of D38, 000 that was to be used for the tournament when the Executive earlier informed them that only D1, 000 was in the Federation’s account.
Ebrima Bah who won many Chess games in and outside the Gambia, purported that despite his accolades, he has never received any proper treatment from the Federation Executive.
“We only see the president of the Federation when we have matches to play,” he said; that high rated Chess players boycotted the Saturday tournament because they lack trust in their leaders particularly when it comes to how their policymakers are treating Joseph Dalliah after his suspension had elapsed.
Ousainou Garber a member of the group and player also expressed his dissatisfaction with the way their leaders handle the affairs of the federation by hiding information from members.
“I have been playing this game for years. But the way the Federation is being managed now is not right,” he said.
Garber further said that even when they travel outside the country for tournament, they are not treated fairly and no respect is accorded them even though they are representing The Gambia.
On his part, Joseph Dalliah narrated that he was suspended by the former president of the federation for overstaying in Norway during the period of the Olympics in 2014.
“The suspension had elapsed but I am still mistreated by the current Executive of the Federation,’’ he said; that he has been asked to write an apology which he said he did but that nothing had changed since then; that he is of the opinion that the current president of the federation has a personal grievance against him.
If readers can recall, the issue between Mr. Joseph Dalliah and the Executive of the Gambia Chess Federation, was previously published in Foroyaa. The reports indicated that Joseph was denied to play chess tournaments and even to participate during meetings of the Chess Federation. The President of the Gambia Chess Federation on several occasions insisted that Mr. Dalliah was under suspension, but could not produce documentary evidence to this medium to that effect. Now other key players in the Gambia Chess fraternity are also raising their voices and complaining of being neglected by the Executive of the Gambia Chess Federation.
