Fiji Chess Federation has re-elected candidate master Taione Sikivou as president for another year during the federation’s annual general meeting held on Saturday.
The meeting also saw the appointment of a dedicated team of executive members to lead the federation to new heights.
Sikivou will be supported by a cadre of accomplished individuals, including deputy president Ryan Bale, general secretary Goru Arvind, and treasurer Reshma Chand.
The team also includes vice presidents William Robert Raymond Bennion and Roshika Deo, along with general executive members Luisa Corpuz, Ravikesh Prasad, and Prashil Prakash.
Expressing gratitude to both members and sponsors, general secretary Goru Arvind credited the growing support from entities like Vodafone Fiji for fostering chess as a burgeoning sport on the island.
“We would like to thank our membership and our sponsors Vodafone Fiji for their kind support towards chess as a growing sport.”
“Our membership has increased to 120 active players, with almost three quarters of them coming in from primary and secondary schools with further growth anticipated for 2024-2025,” he said.
Arvind highlighted the federation’s swelling ranks, boasting 120 active players, with a significant portion hailing from primary and secondary schools.
Anticipating further growth in the coming year, the federation is doubling down on its Chess-In-Schools initiative, recognising the important role of the youth in shaping Fiji’s sporting landscape.
“Chess is a unique sport that can be played irrespective of weather, age, cultural background, gender, and ability.
“For a small federation of 100 plus active members, Fiji has a total of 13 international titles and three provisional titles in the range of Women’s FIDE Master (WFM), Women’s Candidate Master (WCM) and Candidate Master (CM).”
Celebrating Fiji’s prowess on the global stage, Arvind highlighted the nation’s impressive haul of 13 international titles and three Provisional titles across various categories, underscoring the inclusive nature of chess as a sport.
