It was a daring gambit by the 25-year-old Kenyan chess participant to disguise himself as a girl to compete in his nation’s feminine open chess match.
Dressed head to toe in a burka and sporting spectacles, Stanley Omondi had registered himself as Millicent Awour.
However Omondi’s daring transfer was uncovered because the organisers acquired suspicious by the unknown participant’s success.
In his defence, he later wrote in an apologetic letter seen by the BBC that he had “monetary wants”.
He additionally mentioned that he was “prepared to simply accept all penalties”. Omondi didn’t reply to the BBC’s request for remark.
Chess Kenya president Bernard Wanjala mentioned that whereas he was more likely to get a ban of “a number of years”, he wouldn’t be excluded from chess for ever.
“We did not have any suspicion at first, as a result of sporting a hijab is regular,” Wanjala instructed BBC Sport Africa.
“However alongside the way in which, we seen he received in opposition to very robust gamers… and it is going to be unlikely to have a brand new one that has by no means performed a match [being very strong].”
His footwear and the truth that Omondi didn’t converse added to issues.
“One of many purple flags we additionally seen [was] the footwear, he was sporting extra masculine footwear, than female,” Wanjala mentioned.
“We additionally seen he was not speaking, even when he got here to gather his tag, he could not converse, ordinarily, if you end up taking part in, you converse to your opponent… as a result of taking part in a chess sport will not be warfare its friendship.”
Regardless of their reservations, officers allowed him to proceed, afraid they is perhaps accused of profiling due to the spiritual apparel and solely ejected him within the fourth spherical.
“When he superior, after he received a really robust match and we referred to as him, he was not stunned,” in keeping with Wanjala.
“He acknowledged that certainly he’s a person. He regrets what occurred, apologised and mentioned he was solely doing that as a result of he had monetary difficulties and thought successful the title will assist him overcome.”
The Kenya Open, which was held final week, is an annual competitors based mostly within the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
This yr’s version attracted over 400 gamers from 22 nations. Ninety-nine had been registered within the ladies’s class the place the winner would take residence over $3,000 (£2,400).
Omondi is a identified chess participant, however Wanjala believes he thought his odds can be higher within the ladies’s class given the upper commonplace of play within the males’s a part of the match.
Whereas Kenya’s chess federation has handled circumstances of age dishonest earlier than, one of these fraud is a primary of its form.
The case has been referred to the physique’s disciplinary committee which is anticipated to offer a ruling within the subsequent couple of days.
“It’s an excessive case, the decision might embody a ban. I rule out a life ban, however he could also be given a number of years’ ban from taking part in chess,” Wanjala defined.
The case may even be referred to the worldwide federal, he added.