Draughts teams are chosen on merit and not on gender.
So says, Barbados Draughts Association (BDA) president Desmond Maughan in the wake of the raging controversy over the disbursement of funds for last month’s American Checkers Federation’s (ACF) tournament in Las Vegas.
Wynell Neverson, one of the island’s leading female draughts players, has expressed concerns on how the BDA went about getting funds from the National Sports Council (NSC) for the tournament held in honour of former World champion Ronald “Suki” King.
Neverson has contended that if the $12 000 allocated could only accommodate three players, King and Jack Francis deserved to have been selected but Maughan should not have been picked.
Maughan told the Nation some misleading information has been disseminated.
“Wilma Branch captured the Minors Division last year in the United States but why it has not been mentioned that I won the Majors which was a hard-fought battle and got promoted to the Masters Division. I had every right to go. The National Sports Council chose who they wanted to send. Draughts is not about gender, it is about points and how well you play.
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