A Kenyan male chess player has shocked the world after he was found disguised in a hijab as he took part in the women’s section of the 2023 Kenya Open Chess Championship.

Stanley Omondi now faces a lengthy ban from Chess and awaits the decision of the Chess Kenya Disciplinary Committee on his violation of the international chess regulations.

He raised eyebrows after he easily beat top women players in the contest and was busted covering his head and face and further wore spectacles to fully mask his identity.

Omondi, who registered as Millicent Awuor, easily beat former Kenya National Chess Championship Women’s section champ Gloria Jumba and Uganda’s top player Ampaira Shakira and hardly uttered any word during his participation in the chess tournament.

The Executive Committee of the International Chess Federation led by Benard Wanjala is set to file a formal complaint with the Chess Kenya Disciplinary Committee over the matter.

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Disciplinary committee member Victor Ng'ani has revealed that Omondi faces a long time ban from the sport should he be found guilty of the offence but ruled out a life ban for him.

“This being a fraud incident, the player will get a lengthy ban if found guilty,” stated Ng’ani.

A total of 444 players from 22 countries took part in the women’s section of the of Chess tournament that was held at Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi on April 5 – 10, 2023.

Omondi was later interrogated the Chess Tournament arbiters after other Kenyan players wondered why the good “woman” chess player had never taken part in past competitions.

He then admitted to his real gender revealing that he was a student at a local university and that he was forced to cheat in the international event due to his alleged financial challenges.

Had Omondi not been discovered, he would have walked away with a Sh500,000 cash prize that the Chess tournament organisers had set aside for the winner of the Women’s Section.

He avoided the very competitive Open Section set aside for men and willing ladies that attracted seven Grandmasters, seven International Masters, seven Fide Masters and five Candidate Masters who were clashing for the Sh1 million cash prize that was at stake.