Brian Eley

[Mike Gunn]

Andrew, in my personal view having a policy and appropriate paperwork in place is just not sufficient (by itself). I expect a proportion of episodes of abuse would go unreported today just as they were a few decades ago. As to the risk level in chess compared to other sports perhaps it is a bit higher than in chess because individual coaching will often take place in private in either the coach's or the student's house.

[James Plaskett]

Everybody knew Eley was a homosexual pederast.
His activities certainly led to suicides.
Just nobody gave a toss.

btw, I spoke with Dutch master Albert Blees a few days ago and he affirmed that he and GM Conquest went to the Amsterdam police with information that Eley was frequenting local chess cafés... but they hardly seemed all that concerned.

[Roger Lancaster]

Everybody knew Eley was a homosexual pederast.
His activities certainly led to suicides.
Just nobody gave a toss.

btw, I spoke with Dutch master Albert Blees a few days ago and he affirmed that he and GM Conquest went to the Amsterdam police with information that Eley was frequenting local chess cafés... but they hardly seemed all that concerned.

I don't wish to quibble with James but "Everybody knew ..." has got to be something of an exaggeration. I was a near contemporary of Eley's and active on the 1970's chess scene but certainly wasn't aware of his reputation. Having said that, from what I've since read, I'm very prepared to believe that most of the BCF (as it then was) hierarchy had, at minimum, heard rumours. But the big mystery, and James touches on this, seems to be why the Dutch police took no action. I can't see any 'investigation' getting to grips with this. (Incidentally, I agree with those who suggest that this thread be closed - it has long since ceased to be an obituary).

[James Plaskett]

It's not an Obituary thread.

It's about a chess trainer of children who was in reality a serial paedophile.

And how the BCF by a concerted cover up (c.f. D.W. Anderton´s finding it all rather amusing and Thurlow's references to officials insisting that it must not be admitted) let him get away with it all.

[NickFaulks]

But the big mystery, and James touches on this, seems to be why the Dutch police took no action.

As I have said previously, there is no mystery here. I would have been astonished if the Amsterdam police of that time would have found this to be of interest and am not sure that things have changed much since.

[Carl Hibbard]

EDIT - hopefully Carl will agree with me and shut this thread down. With Eley now dead there are two "loose ends" for want of a better thread. The first is that if anybody who was abused, by Eley or indeed anybody else, it is not too late to speak out and be supported. Survivors UK are an excellent charity that specialise in supporting male victims of sexual abuse. Secondly, if there are still individuals involved in chess who facilitated Eley's actions by turning a blind eye they should be held to account and there are proper channels for this. Neither are matters for this forum.

I do tend to agree we have rather mistakenly let this thread run too long as it is.

[Roger Lancaster]

I do tend to agree we have rather mistakenly let this thread run too long as it is.

Sigh, does that mean we can close it ?

[NickFaulks]

Sigh, does that mean we can close it ?

The thread does no longer seem to belong under the heading of "Obituaries".

Perhaps it should be moved to "Things people prefer not to have spoken of".

[Owen Phillips]

I wasn't going to say anything since I didn't know Brian Eley, but clearly there are many strong views held here. Originally the item clearly fitted under Obituaries. It has since created a great deal of interest. So before the item is closed down-can I suggest that it is instead moved to fall under a heading of complaints about ECF procedures and related issues.

Moreover in view of the importance of the topic-whilst I can see that the duration of time that has elapsed and the fact that Brian Eley is himself dead and also at least two of the former BCF Officials involved in considerations around the time of the initial complaints about Mr Eley have also passed away-each factors which would make a proper and full Inquiry extremely difficult and caste a shadow over the making of any definitive conclusions-there must surely be a case for those impacted and ECF Members to request that ECF undertakes a review of this case as part of an initiative into a strengthening of its child protection procedures.

I hope my saying this does in no way offend-but it seems that the topic is sufficiently serious to merit such an approach.

Owen Phillips.

[Paul Cooksey]

Clearly this is not an obituary thread. But while I agree with many of Andrew's point, I do think there are legitimate areas of discussion, notably what the ECF should learn.

It seems to me that a review of the Eley case of the type Mike offered to conduct would not contribute to the improvement in child protection procedures. Safeguarding has moved on so far in the subsequent decades our expectations of what a person should do are now entirely different. But I can see the argument that the matter is so serious that any action that might help is justified.

I do not see how such an enquiry would satisfy anyone who wants suspected misconduct by BCF officials publicised.

[John Upham]

I do not see how such an enquiry would satisfy anyone who wants suspected misconduct by BCF officials publicised.

Are you including Jim Plaskett and any of the victims by this assertion? I am sure Jim would have something to add.

Calling the relevant officials to account could provide some degree of closure to the victims and victims families (for those who committed suicide).

No doubt a defence will be "We were instructed to brush this matter under the carpet by the BCFs unofficial legal eagle"

[Paul Cooksey]

In case my point was unclear, I do not think an internal report focused on improving improving safeguarding today would considered sufficient by those who wish BCF officials to be called to account. But I am not speaking for anyone else or asking them to comment.

[Owen Phillips]

Well I agree that any victims deserve to get some further chance of `closure', but also I think we owe it to the victims to try and find out just how many complaints were made and what exactly was done about them-and a look through records and some interviews might help to achieve that.

Whoever might be tasked with the role of compiling a report could also legitimately contact the police to find out to what extent they investigated any allegations made and why they may have dropped their interest in Mr Eley.

[Roger Lancaster]

In case my point was unclear, I do not think an internal report focused on improving improving safeguarding today would considered sufficient by those who wish BCF officials to be called to account. But I am not speaking for anyone else or asking them to comment.

Quite so. There was a time when an investigation might have been useful, although in my opinion it would have had to explain why BCF officials were culpable in not acting while explaining why police forces also chose not to act, but that time has long past, particularly in view of the deaths of many of the key figures who could no longer give evidence.

[Carl Hibbard]

Roger's post is spot on and so this topic comes to a close.