13-08-2012, 09:59 PM
Personally I don't like this motion as I can't see anything wrong with the existing eligibility rules for winning the Scottish championship title based on birth (or Scottish parentage) or residency for a suitable length of time in Scotland.
As these rules predate the FIDE rating system, it doesn't seem to upset them by adding a third, "or SCO by FIDE recognition through the FIDE rating system", although I can't see why that should be either necessary or add in anything of value.
I would have more sympathy for the motion, which essentially abolishes the residency principle entirely (and should surely be framed that way), if other comparable countries (say Germany, France, Spain, Netherlans, Belgium or other members of the ECU) did not permit non-national residents to compete in their national championships.
What is the position on that last point? I think other ECU members mainly do permit non-national residents to compete, subject to a reasonably lengthy period of residency. But I don't actually know. I do, however, think that the motion's proposers ought to know this or SCO could be in danger of doing something that is seriously out of line with the wider FIDE community without realising it.
As these rules predate the FIDE rating system, it doesn't seem to upset them by adding a third, "or SCO by FIDE recognition through the FIDE rating system", although I can't see why that should be either necessary or add in anything of value.
I would have more sympathy for the motion, which essentially abolishes the residency principle entirely (and should surely be framed that way), if other comparable countries (say Germany, France, Spain, Netherlans, Belgium or other members of the ECU) did not permit non-national residents to compete in their national championships.
What is the position on that last point? I think other ECU members mainly do permit non-national residents to compete, subject to a reasonably lengthy period of residency. But I don't actually know. I do, however, think that the motion's proposers ought to know this or SCO could be in danger of doing something that is seriously out of line with the wider FIDE community without realising it.