Corruption scandal rocks the Bulgarian Chess Federation

[Mike Truran]

Justin, I'm not on Twitter. Could you maybe share some extracts?

[LawrenceCooper]

Justin, I'm not on Twitter. Could you maybe share some extracts?

Ali Nihat YAZICI ‏@alinihatyazici May 21 Didn't I say? @SilvioDanailov is the #1 crook in chess history!

Ali Nihat YAZICI ‏@alinihatyazici May 28 #1 crook of chess history; Lucy @SilvioDanailov, is close to the end!

Ali Nihat YAZICI ‏@alinihatyazici Jun 2 I was right that the embezzlement made by @SilvioDanailov is more than 1,2 M €. Lucy is #1 crook of chess history

[Richard Bates]

I don't think anyone has appreciated that the ECF have such a good record in backing losers, that it was their duty to back Danialov.

[JustinHorton]

Note that you don't need to be on Twitter to read it! Just Google (say) Yazici's username as given by Lawrence above.

[LawrenceCooper]

Not sure if this can be confirmed but allegedly:

"Today the governing board of the Bulgarian Chess Federation banned GM Kiril Georgiev , FM Metodi Stoinev and Simeon Stoichkov for a period of 3 years."

[David Sedgwick]

I don't think anyone has appreciated that the ECF have such a good record in backing losers, that it was their duty to back Danialov (sic).

That's a fair point so I'll forgive you the misspelling.

It was always a choice of evils, but I have to admit that it looks as though Paulson was right about Danailov.

[David Sedgwick]

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt - Abraham Lincoln.

Not sure if this can be confirmed but allegedly:

"Today the governing board of the Bulgarian Chess Federation banned GM Kiril Georgiev , FM Metodi Stoinev and Simeon Stoichkov for a period of 3 years."

Don't go giving people ideas.

[NickFaulks]

Yazici's having a good time on Twitter.

Thought he was dead.

[NickFaulks]

Do we know what Kiril is supposed to have has done?

[David Sedgwick]

Do we know what Kiril is supposed to have has done?

See the links quoted by Angus French and Chris Rice upthread. If the unconfirmed reports are correct, it's a case of banning the whistleblowers.

[NickFaulks]

Do we know what Kiril is supposed to have has done?

See the links quoted by Angus French and Chris Rice upthread. If the unconfirmed reports are correct, it's a case of banning the whistleblowers.

Sorry, I should have gone back a page. I did believe him to be on the side of the good guys. I'm bursting to say "nice one, Kiril", so this seems like the moment.

[LawrenceCooper]

That's a fair point so I'll forgive you the misspelling. .

Perhaps Denialov is the most apt spelling

[LawrenceCooper]

Emil Sutovsky via Facebook:

"Bulgarian Chess Federation disqualifies the reigning champion of the country, the legend of Bulgarian chess Kiril Georgiev for three years! He is accused with the slander and violation of ethics code, following GM Georgiev's public accusations towards the President of BCF Silvio Danailov. Now, I don't think there is a need to talk about Mr. Danailov - his own twitter speaks volumes about this person. But what ACP could and should do in order to help its Premium Member Kiril Georgiev? First of all, we are not in the position to change or really challenge the decision of BCF, but we will address FIDE, asking to check the legitimacy of such a decision. Second, we'll ask the organizers of international events to pay attention to the fact, that GM Georgiev is denied a possibility to play (and teach) in his own country, and we hope that the legend of Bulgarian chess will get more good invitations abroad. Finally, I'd like to emphasize again : the professional chess world has to be strong and united - thus the politicians of all kinds won't be able to ruin a career or indeed the fate of the people who dedicated their entire life to chess.
ACP - with the chess professionals, for the chess professionals."

[Roger de Coverly]

"Bulgarian Chess Federation disqualifies the reigning champion of the country, the legend of Bulgarian chess Kiril Georgiev for three years! He is accused with the slander and violation of ethics code, following GM Georgiev's public accusations towards the President of BCF Silvio Danailov.

Parallels to the Atalik -Yazici dispute perhaps.

It's a good reason to be extremely suspicious of ethics codes, that they can be misused for political reasons.

At the very least, Danailov owes the chess world an explanation as to why there is a Company in the American State of Delaware with the name European Chess Union and why payments to the chess organisation of the same name appear to have been diverted to this US Company.

[Angus French]

ChessDom now has a piece with a copy of the Press Release announcing the bans for Kiril Georgiev and two others.

The Press Release also states that the Bulgarian Chess Federation Board will be backing the nomination of Danailov for FIDE President in 2018. (If it ends up as a two-horse race between Ilyumzhinov and Danailov, which one will the ECF back? It's got to choose one, right?)

And this section of commentary tickled me:

"The story of BCF taking actions against people publicly stating opinions dates from much earlier. Simeon Stoichkov, one of the implicated in the national press conference that revealed the report of the National Agency for Financial Inspection, has actually been banned before for having a chess forum! We cannot emphasize how ridiculous that sounds in a democratic and free society in the internet era."