04-03-2012, 09:47 PM
robin moore Wrote:All,
This is obviously a very difficult and complex topic. I wish to suggest a hypothetical scenario. A family from an oil producing nation in Eastern Europe come to Scotland as economic migrants. They have to travel back and forward as a family to Eastern Europe every six months or so because of the vital importance of their father's job. The children are not born in Scotland, their parents are not born in Scotland, their grandparents are not born in Scotland. One of the sons of this family is the best junior at his year agegroup by a mile and represents Scotland from the age of ten till an older teenager at all levels up to major international events. His family fund and support ChessScotland for this child at all levels. What do you want me to tell him when he is a master level player at the age of eighteen and able to represent Scotland on the adult international stage? Would you like me to tell him that we have got together and decided that we don't want him to represent Scotland as an adult because he does not qualify right now? Or do you want me to tell him it's ok for him to marry a nice Scottish girl, have a family and they can play for Scotland, but I am sorry you can't, at least not for a few years? Is this what we are trying to achieve? I know this may be an extreme example to some but to those that have put a huge amount of effort into Scottish junior chess in the past and at present, it is not far away from reality.
Robin.
Which is why the final call has to be left to the wisdom of the selectors.
And this is why the selectors need some flexibility in the rules/guidelines applying to their deliberations.