23 Jul 2013

Chess is a sport not recreational activity, according to Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC), Solly Reikeletseng chairperson.

Speaking at a press conference addressed by a delegation from FIDE- World Chess Body, Reikeletseng said the game continued to impress in Botswana and the whole region in terms of field performance, administration, marketing, publicity, and sponsorships attraction and retention.

He explained that chess was not about money, but about the game itself. He appealed to various chess clubs to organise more tournaments adding that it was not the responsibility of BCF to organise such competitions.

He also appealed to the chess community to inculcate the spirit of volunteerism and sacrifices in order to take the game to another level adding that chess had done extremely well in the past by bringing medals. Reikeletseng however, explained that the game of chess was still a missing link in schools syllabus and urged BCF to put systems in place to take the game to another level.

For his part, FIDE chief executive director, Nigel Freeman said Botswana had a success story in terms of development of chess in southern region. He said it was evidenced by the fact that the country had in the past hosted a number of chess competitions citing the recent Zonal 4.3 tournament.

Freeman appealed to the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) not to heavily rely on government sponsorship but should seek other ways to raise funds, adding that chess, as a sport, had assisted many young people to get out of drug abuse.

He also applauded the country for being a shining light in sports development and for taking sport, including the chess code, to another level. Speaking at the same conference, the secretary of FIDE Development Commission, Rupert Jones appealed to BCF to work hard to produce a Grand Master chess player.

However, he said chess in the 1990s was globally a small baby but now it was an adult baby but more need to be done to produce more grand masters. He added that southern region has only one grand master who is a Zambian national.

For their part, BCF President Tshenolo Maruatona and African Zone 4.3 Chess President Tshepo Sitale explained that Botswana counted itself as a fortunate country looking at how chess had developed. Maruatona explained that one of the major challenges was that BCF should have a league sponsorship in near future.

He said though team Botswana which participated at the just ended Commonwealth Chess Championships in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, did not perform excellently, it was a learning curve for players because their rivals were grand masters.      

Freeman and Jones were in the country since July 20 to share the programs implemented by FIDE in Africa and how they can benefit Botswana.

The delegation also deliberated on various issues such as chess development in Botswana, perspective of chess development in World Chess in schools program and Fide’s continued aim to introduce chess as an Olympic sport.

BCF Public Relations Director Neoyame Katisenge said the visit by the delegation shows the support and confidence that the world body has in Botswana Chess.

Katisenge said according to FIDE Development Commission, BCF has had 400% growth in rated tournaments in the last four years as per the 2012 development statistics released by the Mother body (FIDE). ENDS