THE Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) has appealed to long-time sponsor Minerva to extend its backing to the national team for next month's Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan, with ZCF president Toddy Mapingire saying it would be difficult for the side to compete under a different brand.
"My appeal to Minerva is this: with the level of support Minerva gives, it would be difficult for our Olympiad team to wear another brand on their tracksuits or T-shirts," Mapingire said.
"Minerva has consistently sponsored the Zimbabwe Open. So my request is that we find a mutual agreement to ensure that the team going to the Olympiads is branded by Minerva."
Minerva has been the title sponsor of the Zimbabwe Open for the past six years. The company had not responded to ZCF's request for Olympiad backing at the time of publication.
Mapingire said preparations for the Olympiad, scheduled for next month in Uzbekistan, were at an advanced stage, with players currently at the visa application stage. Zimbabwe's men's and women's teams will be looking to improve on their previous Olympiad performance.
Beyond the Olympiad, Mapingire outlined a four-point plan for expanding chess in Zimbabwe from 2027, covering a national league, a national rating system, coach certification and a new corporate tournament section.
The proposed league would include colleges and companies from different areas and communities, while a partnership with FIDE would establish a local rating system allowing players in rated tournaments to earn national rankings.
ZCF is also exploring an online system through which parents could verify a coach's credentials and reviews via the federation.
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The federation plans to replace the closed 10-player "Nationals" with an open Zimbabwe Chess Championship, giving first-time players a route to qualify for the 2028 Nationals.
"We don't want to exclude talented players just because they didn't win the Minerva Open or Easter Open," Mapingire said.
A new corporate section will also be introduced at future tournaments, running two- to three-day events from Friday to Sunday to accommodate professionals unable to commit to the standard Wednesday-to-Sunday tournament format.
"It will run alongside existing events like Campus Candidates and the Easter Open," Mapingire added.
