03-03-2014, 06:55 AM
Guess I shouldn't be interfering but hey I did see my name mentioned!
As far back as I remember, Scottish Chess has had a strict rule of requiring residence for those who are not eligible though other channels. For example, Carey was advised that if she took a job in England, she would lose her right to play in the Scottish team as she would no longer be resident.
It's really not clear to me why Matthew was allowed (by Chess Scotland) to change to SCO in the first place, but I guess that's not the issue. By FIDE rules he's perfectly eligible as he has the correct (UK) passport. However, if you allow him to play without satisfying the residence requirement, then there are an awful lot of other British players who might decide to swap from their own nationality to 'SCO' and to me that seems wrong.
If you drop the residence requirement, then all those keen chess-playing people who don't quite make the English team but would readily make the Scottish team will have their applications in to FIDE forthwith...and I don't see that you would have any means to deny them places in the Olympiad teams.
As far back as I remember, Scottish Chess has had a strict rule of requiring residence for those who are not eligible though other channels. For example, Carey was advised that if she took a job in England, she would lose her right to play in the Scottish team as she would no longer be resident.
It's really not clear to me why Matthew was allowed (by Chess Scotland) to change to SCO in the first place, but I guess that's not the issue. By FIDE rules he's perfectly eligible as he has the correct (UK) passport. However, if you allow him to play without satisfying the residence requirement, then there are an awful lot of other British players who might decide to swap from their own nationality to 'SCO' and to me that seems wrong.
If you drop the residence requirement, then all those keen chess-playing people who don't quite make the English team but would readily make the Scottish team will have their applications in to FIDE forthwith...and I don't see that you would have any means to deny them places in the Olympiad teams.