OLYMPIC NEWS!!
In an email release dated July 26, 2001, Jamaica Chess Federation Secretary Robert Wheeler announced that at their meeting of March 20, 2001, the Jamaica Olympic Association Directors took the decision to admit the Jamaica Chess Federation as an Associate Member of the J.O.A. Wheeler stressed that this was a most momentous decision and represents a great step forward for the JCF.
The Middlesex Regional Committee shares Wheelers sentiments as this is exactly the break that Chess in Jamaica has been awaiting for. Thanks must go out to Bertram Scott who got the ball rolling, (or more appropriately, who made the ‘opening move’), when he sought to get FIDE Master Grantel Gibbs nominated for the Carreras Sportsman of the Year Award and of course to Mr. Gibbs for attaining the title of FIDE Master.
This of course set in train a number of efforts, including the Star Newspaper printing of a letter explaining to the Jamaican public why chess is a sport and Mr. Scott’s further correspondences with the Carreras Sports Foundation. Not to be left out is Mr. Wheeler’s letter to the Jamaica Olympic Association, which directly led to this decision. There has been other efforts too numerous to mention but you all get a hearty “Big Up” from the Middlesex Regional Committee of the Jamaica Chess Federation.
We can now look forward to the day when our National team will be recognized on the same stage as a Merlene Ottey and a Gregory Haughton. It was not all in vain after all!!
Thank you for taking time to look at the Olympic Chess Page in Jamaica, West Indies. Please come back and visit again!
