NCFP prexy: So still Phl team member

MANILA, Philippines – National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero "Butch" Pichay, Jr. on Friday said Grandmaster Wesley So remains an official member of the national team and not the United States Chess Federation.

"He's still part of the federation (NCFP) because we haven't received any official letter or document saying otherwise," Pichay told The STAR Friday when he and his triumphant Phl team – which raked in a whopping 35 gold medals in the 15th ASEAN+ Age Group in Macau, China – recently paid the Phl Sports Commission a courtesy call.

Pichay said the only way for him to respond to So’s request to transfer federations is if he receives an official letter from the international chess federation FIDE officially stating the latter's intent.

"I can't respond to blogs," said Pichay, referring to the So's intention that originally came out in his coach Susan Polgar's blog site before it went viral.

"As far as I know, the process is for him (So) to write the federation he is transferring to then that federation will write FIDE, which in turn writes to us at NCFP if we have objections. And so far, we haven't received any official communication from anyone," he added.

Pichay also stressed that should he receive the official letter, it will be hard to let So walk out of the NCFP easy.

"Personally, I want to let him go. But I will be answerable to the Filipino people because until now, he is still receiving taxpayers' money worth P40,000 a month being a priority athlete," he said.

Pichay also said there is no more reason to convince the Webster U standout to reconsider his decision of changing allegiances.

"It's hard to convince people whose heart is already set on playing for another country," said Pichay. "Hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan 'iyan kaya hindi makakarating sa paroroonan (He will not reach his destination because he doesn't know how to look back to people who helped him)."

Without a reply from Pichay, So, currently ranked 15th in the world after his sensational win in the Capablanca Memorial in Cuba a couple of weeks ago, will have to observe the two-year waiting period for players changing federations since he has repeatedly said he will not pay the required 50 euros (about Php3 million) to NCFP.

So has decided to switch to the USCF after he was disgusted of the decision of the country's top sports officials, including the NCFP not to recognize the gold medal he won in the University Games in Kazan, Russia.