ICCF 2015-007: Create a Class of Isolated Players
Michael Millstone, General Secretary
Create a class of isolated players.
Proposal
It is proposed to create a class of player called "Isolated".
Isolated players will appear on the ICCF Rating List and tournament cross tables with a suitable indicator by their name reflecting their national flag and status as an isolated player (i.e., not represented by an ICCF Member Federation).
Isolated players may enter any event for which they are qualified through the Direct Entry system, including Zonal events, Olympiads, or other events which require the player to be attached to a particular region or country. It is also recommended that the Zonal Directors work with isolated players in their zone as well as the other zonal directors to encourage amd organize isolated player teams to participate in ICCF team events in which they could not otherwise participate.
There will be no Direct Entry rebate from these entries.
Isolated players will not be represented at Congress.
At any time, an isolated player may join an ICCF national federation of either their birth or current residence, at this point they will immediately lose their unattached status.
Isolated players may be awarded ICCF ratings and titles, the collection of awards from Congress will be the player’s personal responsibility.
Rationale
As of 01.01.2015, ICCF had 93 isolated players (active players with a fixed rating) from 24 countries not affiliated with ICCF.
At first glance, 93 players does not seem like much, but when we provide some interesting comparisons, the number begins to look relevant.
93 isolated players is more than the entire number of players in Zone 4
93 isolated players compromise more players than 37 Federations.
Isolated Players
Algeria - 7
Burkina Faso - 3
Cameroon - 1
Columbia - 7
Costa Rica - 3
Georgia - 1
Ghana - 5
Indonesia - 2
Isle of Man - 1
Ivory Coast - 1
Kazakhstan - 13
Malaysia - 2
Malta - 5
Mauritus - 2
Mexico - 8
Moldovia - 1
Mongolia - 1
Morocco - 2
Philippines - 3
Puerto Rico - 1
Serbia - 10
Singapore - 1
Turkmenistan - 5
Uruguay - 8
This is a significant segment of the ICCF player population and these players deserve to have opportunities to play in high-level ICCF chess events. Essentially, isolated players would constitute an affiliated status -- able to participate in all tournaments, but without voting rights at Congress.
Relevent Documentation
ICCF Statutes:
No modification required as isolated players will not be considered as “members”, they will simply have equal status to players from affiliated countries.
ICCF Tournament Rules:
2. Promotion Tournaments: Replace “Correspondence chess players from non-ICCF member countries will have to enter via the Direct Entry programme and they are eligible to take part in the World Championship cycle.” with “Correspondence chess players from non-ICCF member countries and isolated players must enter via the Direct Entry programme and they are eligible to take part in the World Championship cycle, and other isolated player organised team events.”
4. Norm Tournaments: Replace “If the player comes from a country, which is not a member of ICCF, he must prove his identity to the satisfaction of the Title Tournament Commissioner” with “If the player comes from a country which is not a member of ICCF or is an isolated player, he must prove his identity to the satisfaction of the Title Tournament Commissioner”
Voting Summary
- A vote of Yes will mean from 1.1.2016 active players not affiliated with an ICCF Member Federation will be assigned an "isolated player" indicator. Through Direct Entry, an isolated player may enter all ICCF individual tournaments, subject to eligibility. Zonal Director's will assume the responsibility of organising and coordiinating teams of isolated players to participate in ICCF team tournaments.
- A vote of No means that ICCF is telling isolated players from non-Member Federations -- "tough luck", even though the number of isolated players is more than the entire Zone 4 and more than 37 active ICCF Member Federations.
- A vote of ABSTAIN is not a vote but means the vote holder has no opinion and does not wish to represent the correspondence chess players of his or her federation in this matter.
Comments by Relevant Committees, Commissions, or ICCF Officers
Eric Ruch (EB)
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