I can state categorically that CJ, and CJ alone was responsible for securing sponsorship for Sheffield. You can thank him!
This, of course, is completely untrue, and contradicts my earlier blog post on the subject, which gave chapter and verse on the exact sequence of events. Raoof's post was timed at 9.48am. It was immediately questioned by other forum users, whereupon OA claimed to have spoken to Ali Mortazavi, of Darwin Strategic, who had confirmed that "CJ was responsible for the sponsorship".
A couple of hours later, Ray Keene saw the comment, and immediately e-mailed Raoof directly, pointing out the error and repeating the correct facts. He also explained why Ali Mortazavi had given the response he had - Darwin had agreed to sponsor a future British event, expected to be the Staunton Memorial, but when Ray and CJ changed their minds and decided to ask Darwin to put the money into the British instead, it was CJ who actually spoke to Ali about this. Ali was unaware that there had been discussion between Ray and CJ, over which event to sponsor, and by that late stage in the proceedings, all of his communication was with CJ. But none of this changes the original facts, that Ray Keene was instrumental in securing the sponsorship in the first place.
And what was "Odious" Adam's response to this information? After being challenged on the forum by other termites, the Egregious Federation's probable next CEO went back on at 2.23pm and posted the following:
I'm sorry, I have more important things to do than carry on this discussion.
How convenient that this discovery of "better things to do" should happen to occur just a few hours after receiving definitive information, which clearly showed that his earlier posts on the forum had been what Churchill was wont to call "a terminological inexactitude"! Ray contacted Raoof again in the evening, asking him to correct his mendacious statements on the Forum, but to date, he has yet to receive even the courtesy of an acknowledgment of his messages, let alone a substantive response.
"Sorry, I can't discuss this right now - I'm due at the hospital for some urgent rhinoplasty" (photo: caveofknowledge.com)
And this is the man who would like to be the next CEO of the English chess. I leave it to my readers to decide whether such a person is unfit to hold office, or whether, on the contrary, he has all the attributes necessary in a leading official of the Egregious Chess Federation...
PS 13.00, 20/04/2012
The Odious One speaks:
On the matter of the next ECF CEO, I think someone really needs to start another thread. Why would anyone do this thankless, unpaid, time-engulfing job after seeing the abuse received by Andrew Farthing who has to be one of the most hard working, diplomatic, patient people I have met?
Isn't that what the Watergate journalists used to call "a non-denial denial"?
