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Viral male chess player posing as female appeals ban
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 10.01.25. | 13:03
Chess Kenya disciplinary committee handed down a three-year ban to the player in 2023 after being found guilty of two offenses
Stanley Omondi, who was handed a three-year suspension from all chess activities in 2023 for impersonation, has now appealed against the decision.
Omondi had registered in the Kenya Open Championships as Millicent Awuor and to disguise himself, he put on a chador (Bui Bui) to be able to play in the ladies’ category.
Chess Kenya disciplinary committee handed down a three-year ban to the player in 2023 after being found guilty of two offenses -the first one being male but registering in the ladies' section of the 2023 Kenya Open Chess Championship.
“The second offence is that you 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,” said the ruling delivered by the committee.
Omondi was eligible to appeal the ban at the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) but he did not.
But he has now written to the committee to have his ban lifted at this year’s general meeting.
“I write to state my intention to appeal my three-year ban from Chess Kenya’s events which began in April 2023 at this year’s general meeting.
I have taken the period of close to two years to reflect on my actions and can sincerely admit that they were utterly regrettable, to say the least,” he said in his appeal letter.
He added: "I have since started cultivating patience in my activities, a virtue I dearly lacked previously. I hope to continue growing in it and be a respectable member of the Chess Kenya community, a people who were becoming a second family to me before my regrettable actions in 2023. Looking forward to a positive response.”
During the suspension period, Omondi has not been allowed to take part in the league or other Chess Kenya-organized events, something that has affected his rating.
The matter will be discussed at the September 30, Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the federation.
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