Connect with us

News

Transgender Women Banned From World Chess Events

Published

on

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has banned transgender women from competing in its women’s events, saying the individual cases would require “further analysis” and that a decision could take up to two years.

While the move has been criticised by some players and enthusiasts, FIDE said the imposition of the ban is temporary, according to BBC.

Advertisement

Many sports governing bodies have been working on policies towards transgender athletes, but chess does not involve comparable levels of physical activity.

However, the FIDE told the BBC it wanted to analyse the impact of these policies and did not want to rush this process.

The transgender legislation is rapidly developing in many countries and many sport bodies are adopting their own policies,” it said.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Tony Elumelu’s Transcorp Acquires 60% Stake In Abuja DisCo

FIDE will be monitoring these developments and see how we can apply them to the world of chess. Two years is a scope of sight that seemed reasonable for the thorough analyses of such developments.”

It added that transgender players could still compete in the open section of its tournaments.

Advertisement

Yosha Iglesias, a trans woman professional chess player with the FIDE rank of chess master, said the policy would lead to “unnecessary harm” for trans players and women.

This appalling situation will lead to depression and suicide attempts,” Iglesias said.

Woman Grandmaster and two-time US Women’s Champion Jennifer Shahade also criticised the FIDE decision, saying the policy was “ridiculous and dangerous”.

Advertisement

“It’s obvious they didn’t consult with any transgender players in constructing it… I strongly urge FIDE to reverse course on this and start from scratch with better consultants,” Ms Shahade said.

United Kingdom MP Angela Eagle, who was a joint winner of the 1976 British Girls’ Under-18 chess championship, said: “There is no physical advantage in chess unless you believe men are inherently more able to play than women – I spent my chess career being told women’s brains were smaller than men’s and we shouldn’t even be playing.”

“This ban is ridiculous and offensive to women,” she added.

Advertisement

In its policy decision, FIDE also said that trans men who had won women’s titles before transitioning would see their titles abolished.

Chess is classified as a sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

READ ALSO: TETfund Trains Over 37,000 Scholars For Local, Foreign PhDs, Other programmes

Advertisement

Last month, the world’s cycling governing body ruled that transgender women would be prevented from competing in female events.

Meanwhile on Wednesday World Aquatics said it would debut a new open category for transgender athletes at this year’s Swimming World Cup event in Berlin after it voted last year to stop transgender athletes from competing in women’s elite races.

Advertisement
Advertisements
Advertisement
Comments

News

LG Chairman Assures Corps Members Of Security Of Lives In Bauchi

Published

on

By

Mr Markus Lusa, the caretaker Chairman of Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi state has assured the corps members serving in the area of security of their lives and property.

He made the assurance on Thursday during a town hall meeting between the corps members and the Bogoro local government council stakeholders, organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the area.

Advertisement

Lusa, who explained that the council was always partnering with all the security agencies in the area, added that the council was ready to partner with NYSC to better the lives of the corps members serving in the local government.

READ ALSO: NYSC Member Donates Chairs To Bauchi School

Represented by Mr Markus Nahemia, the Director, Administration and General Services, Bogoro LGA, Lusa urged the corps members to be patient as all their previous demands would be met in due time.

Advertisement

Earlier, Mr David Dauda, Bogoro Local Government Inspector (LGI) of NYSC, enjoined the stakeholders in the area to encourage corps members by financing community development projects that would have a positive impact on the lives of the members of their host communities.

He appreciated the government and the people of Bogoro for being corps members friendly, adding that the LGA could best be described as a home away from home to Corps members.

READ ALSO: NYSC Fighting Against Gender Based Violence, Says DG

Advertisement

In his remarks, Mr Saul Mamman, the Education Secretary, Bogoro Local Education Authority, said that assisting corps members to execute community development service projects would lead to greater social impact and sustainable change in the local communities.

Speaking on behalf of the corps members, the Corps Liaison Officer (CLO), Bogoro Local Government, Mr Daniel Obioma described the programme as apt and timely.

While commending the people of the area for being accommodating and hospitable to corps members, Obioma said that the event would assist them in discharging their duties effectively.

Advertisement

Advertisements
Continue Reading

News

Subsidy: CSO Threatens To Thwart Labour’s Oct 3 Planned Indefinite Strike

Published

on

By

A Civil Society Organisation, CSO, operating under the aegis of Civil Society and Workers Dialogue Forum (CSWDF), has expressed its disapproval of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC’s planned indefinite strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

The organisation described the proposed strike as sabotage and deliberate mischief, saying the union wasn’t sensitive to its part of dialogue with the Federal Government over the fuel subsidy removal impasse.

Advertisement

Reacting to the planned strike in a statement jointly signed and issued on Thursday by the group’s convener, Abubakar Ibrahim and co-conveners, Bashir Faisal and Rafiu Shaibu, they assured of their support if the two workers’ unions decided to toe the path of nobility.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Prophet Makes Fresh Revelations About Kano, Ondo, Edo Politics

According to the CSO, the Nigeria Labour Congress fully agreed to the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, which they also earlier advocated for, adding that “having the subsidy that has been draining government for centuries removed, it should be supported by all stakeholders”.

Advertisement

The group, having acknowledged the difficulty faced by Nigerians, explained that the Federal Government has made deft moves in rehabilitating the refineries to reduce the cost of petrol and gas importation.

It added that the recent distribution of palliative to the tune of N5 billion to each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT are part of mitigation measures until things normalise as no government anywhere in the world derives pleasure in the suffering of its people.

READ ALSO: Strike: How Labour Veterans Got NLC, TUC To Close Ranks

Advertisement

“The wage increase of workers is being negotiated with NLC constituting membership of the committee, hence, we are appalled at what the proposed strike intended to achieve.

“As opposed to the past, the NLC has always been on the negotiation table before any decision was taken by this administration.

“We recalled that in June this year, the Union was in talks with the FG over fuel subsidy removal without carrying other stakeholders along, which we protested our exclusion.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: DSS Establishes New Directorate, Appoints Afunaya As Pioneer Director

“Having agreed with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, only for the workers Union to recant and propose an indefinite strike is counter-productive and we will mobilise our members across the 36 States and FCT for anti-NLC protest.

“This statement should serve as official notice to the Director of State Service DSS, IGP and other security agencies, that we are going to mobilise to streets against NLC on 3rd October, 2023,” the CSO stressed.

Advertisement

The group recalled that some states have purchased buses for public transportation and have also added funds to the federal government’s offer to them, insisting that the proposed strike was inappropriate.

Advertisement
Advertisements
Continue Reading

News

Nigerian Artistes In Strange Covenant With Devil – Nigerian Prophet

Published

on

By

The spiritual head of the Wisdom Church of Christ International, Prophet Bisi Olujobi, has said some Nigerian artistes have entered a strange covenant with the devil.

The Prophet said this in a statement he made available to DAILY POST on Thursday.

Advertisement

According to him, the artistes, in the desperation to achieve stardom, seek favour from the devil.

However, he noted that these celebrities did not know that the devil would take something back for every favour received from him.

“The devil cannot give anything without taking something reasonable in return. That is the game of the devil which they (Nigerian artistes) fail to realize,” he disclosed.

Advertisement

Olujobi called on Nigerian artistes and their African counterparts to return to God, who he described as the giver of all gifts.

READ ALSO: DSS Establishes New Directorate, Appoints Afunaya As Pioneer Director

The cleric said the strange covenant between the artistes and the devil would be the reason behind the untimely end of some of them in their prime.

Advertisement

Nigerian artistes and their African counterparts have to return to God, the giver of all gifts, as many of them have entered into strange covenant that will eventually cut off their light at their peak,” he stressed.

Advertisement
Advertisements
Continue Reading

Trending