Bobby Ang on Fixing Scandal

I have been waiting for this actually and now we've finally got Bobby Ang's take on this recent scandal in RP chess. His latest Chess Piece article relies mostly on observations by Herky del Mundo, but Bobby had this to say:

I will not deny that there are incidents of players who no longer have a chance at qualification or a big prize throw their games and share in whatever prize their partner-in-crime gets. But to claim that there is a networking scheme where people throw games to one another to get a desired result is to assume an organized group is pulling the strings, calling the shots. This is ridiculous.

And then to announce the names of the suspects while they are smack in the middle of zonal competition, then it becomes obvious why these issues are coming out. Pay particular attention to the 3rd paragraph of the above commentary, and there you may see a hint of who the people are behind this.

I have said my piece, and this is the last comment you will hear from me about this “networking”.

Can it be that the "old guard" in RP chess are really doing everything they can to damage their young counterparts? Even just the thought of it truly causes disgust. On the other hand, if such a network really does exist - young or old - then I say, punish the whole lot of them!