Eligibility Votes - March 2022

[andybburnett]

Andy and Andy,

I have explained why I voted the way I did

I want to make (hopefully) one final point in response to Andy Burnett

"Now, that is what it is, and if you are deemed eligible for Scotland then that's all there is to say - but stop pretending the vote/you won't have a significant impact. If you want to argue that having you in the team is actually a good thing, then please do so, but again, that's a different point from that you've been trying to make."

You have seen the reasons why I voted the way I did.  I have never said that having me in the (Olympiad) team is good thing.  That is for a simple reason, I am not sure whether it is!  I have said that whilst I would dearly love to play for Scotland, I would not do so if it were detrimental to the team.  That I why I have said and reiterated to Alan Tate, the International Director, that I would only play with the support of the rest of the team.  I have ruled myself out of the forthcoming Olympiad, but post this vote I'll be having discussions with Alan about what that means in practice for future events.  

So, in future, one, or both of you, might have a vote to decide whether I should have a place.  I am placing my trust in you to place your vote for what you think is in the best interests of Scottish Chess (which may be a vote for my participation or against) and not vote on personal self interest.  That I think is a pretty big commitment on my part, but it is what I have consistently said and I stand by it.

I hope there will be the opportunity for me to deprive both of you a place in the team by supporting the next generation of Scottish talent, but today I fly to Ireland to play in a GM norm tournament with Connor O'Donnell, Conor Murphy, Trisha and Tarun Kanyamarala and Tom O'Gorman.

Food for thought hopefully.

Matt,
 I have no idea why you keep changing the goalposts in this argument (and it was really tangential to the main reasons I thought your first post was incredibly tone-deaf/offensive). 

You said you being eligible wouldn't have an impact on players coming through re: Olympiad spots - I've shown why that simply isn't the case. 

I have already also explained that you'd be a shoo-in for a spot in the team at someone else's expense, so no idea why you are talking about not voting in "personal self-interest" (more offensive language I should point out) though I don't know why, or how you expect that works? 

If I am up for selection I can't be a selector. If I WAS a selector, I'd be choosing the best team from those eligible - to suggest otherwise is ...searches thesaurus...nope...offensive! 

Anyway, enough, I also have actual chess to focus on this weekend. Good luck in Ireland!
Andy