ASEAN Chess acted on a complaint from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines regarding the conduct of SCF official Tony Tan Teck Leng at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships, which took place in Singapore last year.

In a letter, dated October 10, the Confederation ruled that Tan had been guilty of "inappropriate behaviour" and stated that he would be banned for three years from any event sanctioned by the body, while the SCF would have a two week period to sanction the official.

Following the expiration of the period, ASEAN Chess outlined that they would impose a three year ban on SCF Executive Committee members and prevent them from organising any of their events until 2018.

They stated the sanctions would be reduced for a year in the event that Tan was disciplined and the Federation provided an apology.

A second letter on October 30 confirmed the two week period had drawn to a close, with ASEAN Chess imposing the sanctions.

However, the FIDE had determined that the complaint had been addressed to the SCF rather than ASEAN Chess, determining that the ASEAN Constitution does not grant their Management Board any disciplinary powers.

Responding to ASEAN Chess in a letter, FIDE Executive Director Nigel Freeman urged the body to remove the sanctions.

“The resolutions were clearly tainted by illegality for reasons of a total failure of fundamental justice (no hearing was held and neither SCF nor Mr. Tan were afforded an opportunity to make representations before the Management Board took its decisions), an apparent bias on the part of the members of the Management Board against the SCF and Mr. Tan, as well as the fact that the sanctions imposed were irrational, unreasonable and completely out of proportion with the alleged misconduct,” he wrote.

“In short, the resolutions were unlawful and shall be revoked without any delay.

“In addition, the SCF has investigated the complaint filed by the National Chess Federation of Philippines of 17 September 2015.

"On 5 November, the SCF Ethics Committee thus found Mr. Tan guilty of showing disrespect during an official event and imposed a two-week suspension.

“The official concerned has therefore been duly and adequately sanctioned by the Singapore Chess Federation.”

Following the letter, ASEAN Chess responded on their Facebook page by claiming that Tan had "continued to post announcements of SCF events on his Facebook" during his two-week suspension, while stating he had been "actively involved at the SCF’s National Inter-School Team Championships".

The Confederation also stated that "it is the inherent right of a body to impose discipline on its members, the fact this right is not spelled out in the ACC Constitution doesn't mean it is precluded from exercising the same."

The FIDE Presidential Board has since announced the temporary suspension of the Confederation as an affiliated member of FIDE.

When contacted by insidethegames, Freeman confirmed that the decision had been as a result of the ongoing dispute.

“The ASEAN Chess Confederation failed to undertake actions requested by FIDE,” he said.

“This was related to alleged sanctions taken against Mr. Tan and the Singapore Chess Federation.

“The ASEAN Chess Federation is no longer an Affiliated International Organisation recognised by FIDE.

“If they undertake the actions requested by FIDE, then they can reapply for affiliated status at the next General Assembly.”