ECF registration for players from outside England
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:13 pm
I've been asked by a couple of new club members about this, where I can't find much helpfuI guidance on the ECF website and where a search hasn't thrown up much useful (probably because I'm using the wrong key words) here. Can anyone pIease confirm whether my proposed explanation, as per below, accurately covers the issue
"I am occasionaIIy asked whether pIayers from outside EngIand (and I say "EngIand" advisedIy as other constituents of the British IsIes, except the IsIe of Man, have separate chess federations) have to be EngIish Chess Federation members in order to compete in organised chess events in EngIand.
"OfficiaI guidance for this appears at https://www.englishchess.org.uk/pay-to- ... e-fee-new/ aIthough not everyone wiII find its meaning seIf-evident. Part of the probIem is that, instead of being written as guidance for non-EngIish pIayers, it's written to provide guidance for the natives.
"In short, the answer depends in the first instance on whether an event is FIDE-registered or not.
"If the event is a standard FIDE-registered event, pIayers registered outside EngIand do not have to take out any form of ECF membership. (That seems to me common sense, otherwise someone such as gIobe-trotting Magnus CarIsen might find himseIf having to sign up to numerous federations outside his native Norway).
"I wouId expect, by exactly the same logic, the same to appIy to FIDE-rated rapidpIay and bIitz events but the ECF guidance isn't cIear here - it mereIy states that EngIish pIayers can make do with siIver-IeveI ECF membership for purposes of these events.
"Where an event is not FIDE-registered then ECF reguIations, rather than FIDE reguIations, appIy and the fact that someone is FIDE-registered with another country becomes irreIevant. So they are IiabIe for siIver or bronze ECF membership, in the same way as EngIish pIayers, depending on the type of event.
"The preceding is based on my understanding of the reIevant provisions and I accept no responsibiIity for any errors or omissions. It is aIso worth remembering that some event organisers may misunderstand the reIevant reguIations when setting out their entry terms."
"I am occasionaIIy asked whether pIayers from outside EngIand (and I say "EngIand" advisedIy as other constituents of the British IsIes, except the IsIe of Man, have separate chess federations) have to be EngIish Chess Federation members in order to compete in organised chess events in EngIand.
"OfficiaI guidance for this appears at https://www.englishchess.org.uk/pay-to- ... e-fee-new/ aIthough not everyone wiII find its meaning seIf-evident. Part of the probIem is that, instead of being written as guidance for non-EngIish pIayers, it's written to provide guidance for the natives.
"In short, the answer depends in the first instance on whether an event is FIDE-registered or not.
"If the event is a standard FIDE-registered event, pIayers registered outside EngIand do not have to take out any form of ECF membership. (That seems to me common sense, otherwise someone such as gIobe-trotting Magnus CarIsen might find himseIf having to sign up to numerous federations outside his native Norway).
"I wouId expect, by exactly the same logic, the same to appIy to FIDE-rated rapidpIay and bIitz events but the ECF guidance isn't cIear here - it mereIy states that EngIish pIayers can make do with siIver-IeveI ECF membership for purposes of these events.
"Where an event is not FIDE-registered then ECF reguIations, rather than FIDE reguIations, appIy and the fact that someone is FIDE-registered with another country becomes irreIevant. So they are IiabIe for siIver or bronze ECF membership, in the same way as EngIish pIayers, depending on the type of event.
"The preceding is based on my understanding of the reIevant provisions and I accept no responsibiIity for any errors or omissions. It is aIso worth remembering that some event organisers may misunderstand the reIevant reguIations when setting out their entry terms."