Three year ban for Chess Cheat

It is a three year ban for Stanley Omondi who impersonated a woman so as to take part in this month’s Kenya Open chess championships.

Chess Kenya disciplinary committee handed down the sentence on Thursday after its deliberations two days earlier.

In a letter to Omondi, Dr. Victor Ngani who chairs the disciplinary committee said the ban put into consideration his co-operation in the matter and his written response.

He was found guilty of two offences- the first one being male registered for, and played in the ladies section of the 2023 Kenya Open Chess Championship.

“The second offence is that you used a different name (Millicent Awuor) and not your real name Stanley Omondi to register and play in the ladies section of the said event,” said the ruling delivered to Omondi.

Omondi can appeal the ban at the next Chess Kenya Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Omondi will only resume playing in 2026. He will miss out on the league and events organised by both the national body and private organisers something that will affect his rating.

He was disqualified from the Kenya Open Championships for impersonation.

CHESS: Cheater to face discplinary action

He had registered in the women’s category as Millicent Owuor.

To disguise himself, Omondi came clad in a buibui and took part until the fourth round. But this time, he had gotten victories over veteran and Kenyan Olympiad Gloria Jumba, Whitney Kibara and Ugandan national team player Shakira Ampairi.

But suspicious organisers noticed that something was strange with the player and asked him to accompany one of the organisers to a private room so that his identity could be revealed.

While in the room, Omondi owned up that he was a man who had been attracted by the huge Sh.500,000 prize fund in the ladies category.

In a statement he wrote to organisers, the University student said: "I was caught in the act of playing in the ladies section of the Kenya Open section yet I am male.The reason was due to financial needs but I deeply regret my actions and accept all consequences.”

He was subsequently disqualified from the five day tournament and all the opponents he won against given wins instead.