The Chess Association of Malawi ("CHESSAM", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of everyone who interacts with us, including players, officials, members of the public, website visitors, and partners.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, register for membership, participate in our events, or otherwise engage with our services. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identity Data: Full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, and photograph for player profiles and membership records.
• Contact Data: Email address, phone number, and postal address for communication and administrative purposes.
• Sporting Data: FIDE ID, rating history, tournament results, title information, and competitive records for ranking and eligibility purposes.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and usage data collected through cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website.
• Transaction Data: Payment records, membership fees, and related financial information for membership and event registrations.

We use the personal data we collect for the following lawful purposes:

• Managing player memberships, registrations, and renewals within the CHESSAM ecosystem.
• Organizing, administering, and promoting chess tournaments, ratings, and rankings in Malawi.
• Communicating important updates, event invitations, newsletters, and official notices.
• Sharing sporting data (ratings, titles, results) with FIDE, the African Chess Confederation, and the Malawi National Council of Sports as required by our affiliations.
• Improving our website, services, and user experience through analytics and feedback.
• Complying with legal obligations and protecting the rights and safety of our members and the public.

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information only with:

• FIDE & Confederations: Player ratings, titles, and tournament results are shared with FIDE and the African Chess Confederation in accordance with international chess governance requirements.
• National Sports Bodies: Relevant data shared with the Malawi National Council of Sports and other regulatory bodies as required by national sports policy.
• Service Providers: Trusted third-party partners who assist with website hosting, payment processing, and communications — bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of CHESSAM or others.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, secure servers, and regular security assessments.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal and regulatory retention requirements.
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and understand where our visitors come from.

Types of cookies we use include:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly, including authentication and security features.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website to improve its performance and content.
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to provide a more personalized experience.

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements.

To determine the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, the purposes for which we process the data, and applicable legal requirements.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, plugins, and services. Clicking those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements.

We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: