Chess Kenya has banned Stanley Omondi, the male chess player who a fortnight ago was caught camouflaged in a burka in order to compete in the women’s section of the 2023 Kenyan Open Chess Championship.
In a statement, the federation through its National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) said it found Omondi guilty of the two offenses and banned him for three years.
The first offense was that the University of Nairobi student “knowingly while being male registered for, and played in the ladies section of the 2023 Kenya Open Chess Championship.”
The other issue was that he “used a different name (Millicent Awuor) and not your real name Stanley Omondi to register and play in the ladies section of the said event.”
In its ruling, the Victor Ng’ani-led NDC said it took into consideration Omondi’s cooperation with the body, including his written response admitting to committing the offence.
Omondi, who declined to appear in person before the NDC to defend himself, can appeal the ruling at the next Chess Kenya General meeting.
“Noting your cooperation, and that you are a first time offender, the National Disciplinary Committee sanctions you with a ban from all Chess Kenya, and Chess Kenya-sanctioned chess events for a period of three (3) years with effect today , 20 April, 2023,” said the NDC.
Speaking after being caught at the end of day-two of the competition held at Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi from April 5 to 10, Omondi said that financial problems he was grappling with at the university pushed him to cheat in the tournament.
He was eying the Sh500,000 cash prize for the women’s section winner. He avoided playing in the Open Section, where Sh1 million was at stake, and which was reserved for all men and willing ladies because of the competition.
With seven Grandmasters, seven International Masters, seven Fide Masters and five Candidate Masters competing in the Open section, he definitely stood little chance of winning.
He covered his head and face completely and wore spectacles on the small opening that revealed his eyes.
Unlike the rest of the players he hardly spoke to anyone and only raised suspicion after he easily defeated former Kenya National Chess Championship Women’s section winner Gloria Jumba (rated 1487), and Ugandan top player Ampaira Shakira (1702).
Many of the local chess players competing in the tournament started questioning where “she” has been during other important national chess tournaments.
Jumba described Omondi as a very strong chess player.
“I was quite surprised (by the news that he was a man) because I did not notice anything odd about him. He is a good player because his pieces were very active (well placed on the board) and he always capitalised on the mistakes that I was making,” she told Nation Sport on April 12. BY DAILY NATION