In an embarrassing revelation, the under-7 girls’ National champion and five others have been found over-age in the ongoing under-9 National chess competition here.

National U-7 champion N Madhumita, Akhila S, H Tejaswini, Sagarika ILVK, all from Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa’s Shovna and Sonali Jena were declared over-age after the Delhi Chess Association (DCA) conducted medical examination of 14 players on Saturday.

DCA president and All India Chess Federation (AICF) treasurer Bharat Singh Chauhan said if the organising committee had doubts about players’ age, they could subject them to medical examinations to verify their age.

“We found it strange that some of the candidates who were born in 1999 got themselves registered only last month. As per the rules, it is the authorities’ responsibility to register the child born in their hospital within 45 days of birth,” Chauhan said.

“How they could not do it in these cases was a bit difficult to understand, and raised suspicion,” he said.

Chauhan, however, said they were still ‘open’ to a second opinion if the AICF so instructed them.

“The parents of the girls are putting a lot of pressure with the help of the AP media, whom they have brought to defend the girls,” Chauhan said.

Asked what action would be taken against the girls, he said, “We will have a meeting of the AICF council and suitable action will be taken.”