The GMC-backed Tolentino is fresh from winning the Barroso Chess Cup

FILIPINO Fide Master (FM) elect Rustum Tolentino makes his next stop in seeking for the International Master (IM) title in the 10th Penang Heritage City International Chess Open 2018 on December 3 to 8, 2018 at the Red Rock Hotel in Penang, Malaysia. The Cagayan de Oro City native Tolentino is fresh from winning the NCFP-rated Barroso Chess Cup 2018 Open rapid event last October 14, 2018 at the Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. Tolentino split the point with Davao City ace Harrison Maamo in the seventh and final round en route to claiming the title and bring home the P7,000 top purse and a trophy in the tournament sponsored by the Barroso clan and supervised by NA Cecilio “Ely” Acas, FNA Joseph Gener “Jojo” Palero and NA Alfred Moulic of the Chess Arbiter Union of the Philippines.

Tolentino collected 6.5 points on the account of six wins and a draw in seven outings.

Drawing support from by Australia-based Simon Dolosa, Dubai-based Wael Alterado, Europe-based Woman International Master Cristine Rose Mariano-Wågman and National Master Roly Tan of Goldcrest Marketing Corporation, Tolentino will be seeing action also in the 5th Johor International Chess Open 2018 on December 10 to 15, 2018 at the 36th floor Johor Bahru City Square Tower in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and the Laos International Open Chess Championship on December 18 to 24, 2018 at the Don Chan Palace Hotel & Convention on Unit 6, Piavat Village, Sissatanak District in Vientiane, Laos.

“Hopefully, I can get my International Master title through these events as well as gain some Elo rating points,” said the 36-year-old Tolentino, former top player of Mapua Institute of Technology Chess Team, who won the 2002 Shell National Youth Active Chess Junior Grand Finals.

Tolentino’s previous stints abroad included

NOT only is the athlete gone astray guilty but also the people directly associated with him.

That was the lesson learned in the case of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.

In a story by Jim Vertuno of the Associated Press on Friday, Armstrong’s team manager was banned for life for his role in a doping program that helped Armstrong win the Tour de France seven times.

Before this, Johan Bruyneel had been serving a 10-year suspension.

Bruyneel himself had posted the verdict in his letter via the social media, saying the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) had imposed his lifetime ban.

Bruyneel was manager of Armstrong’s US Postal Service squad when the team was subjected by the United States Anti-Doping Agency to a probe in 2012, resulting in Armstrong losing all his Tour de France victories.

I suddenly remember the recent ban on Kiefer Ravena for gulping a drink spiked with prohibited powerenhancing drugs.

But unlike Bruyneel, Ravena’s manager Singapore (2005), Malaysia (2006 and 2009), Dubai, UAE (2007) and Sharjah, UAE (2012). (Marlon Bernardino/Contributor) wasn’t punished as he obviously wasn’t aware of his ward’s wayward action. Bruyneel knew of Armstrong’s wrongdoing.

In his letter, Bruyneel said: “I want to stress that I acknowledge and fully accept that a lot of mistakes have been made in the past…We were children of our era…we didn’t always make the best choices.”

Not only was Bruyneel punished but Armstrong’s team doctor, Pedro Celaya, and team trainer, Jose “Pepe” Marti, as well.

Olivier Niggli, the World Anti-Doping Agency chief, said: “The decision was important for athletes around the world who care for clean sport.”

Bruyneel was also ordered earlier this year by a U.S. court to pay $1.2 million in damages after Armstrong, who earned millions with his Tour wins, reached a $5-million settlement with the government.

The lawsuit was filed by no less than Floyd Landis, Armstrong’s teammate, who helped expose the massive drugs-use that went on unnoticed for years.

But Landis himself was also stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win for steroid use.

Indeed, crime does not pay.