Olympiad Captains

[Roger de Coverly]

I happened to notice that the ICU had announced the Irish teams for the Olympiad.

http://www.icu.ie/articles/588

They seem to believe that a FIDE rule affects their choice of Captains.

Unfortunately, one piece of information was left out of the criteria for captain selection which the 2016 International Selection Committee were quick to spot once they started deliberations. From 1/7/14, the following rules came into affect which eliminated several candidates from the equation:

4.1. No trainer will be offered free board & lodging at official FIDE events such as Olympiads, World, European, Continental, Pan-American, and Asian Team Championship, and World and Continental Youth Individual Championships, if he/she does not hold any official FIDE/TRG title (official implementation: 01.07.2014).

4.2. No trainer will be offered access to the official playing hall at official FIDE events such as Olympiads, World, Continental, European, Pan-American, and Asian Team Championship, and World and Continental Youth Individual Championships, if he/she does not hold any official FIDE/TRG title (official implementation: 01.07.2014).

Haven't they got the wrong end of the stick here, as the reference is to trainers rather than match captains? The Welsh Chess Union have appointed Lawrence Cooper as the captain of their Women's team, who is titled as a player, arbiter and organiser, but not by FIDE as a trainer.

[NickFaulks]

The normal rule with money orientated Commissions such as Arbiters and Trainers is that these details can be sorted out with the payment of an affordable amount of cash.

[Roger de Coverly]

The normal rule with money orientated Commissions such as Arbiters and Trainers is that these details can be sorted out with the payment of an affordable amount of cash.

Perhaps I should ask the direct question. Have FIDE imposed any constraints on who the ECF appoint as captains for their Olympiad teams? The Irish seemed to think so for their teams.

[Alex Holowczak]

Perhaps I should ask the direct question.

Even better would be to ask the direct question of the people who are likely to give you the answer, rather than speculate?

[Roger de Coverly]

Even better would be to ask the direct question of the people who are likely to give you the answer, rather than speculate?

Who would they be then? Have the Irish got it totally wrong, or is this another example of the evil FIDE?

[NickFaulks]

Or both, or neither?

[Roger de Coverly]

Or both, or neither?

Does FIDE or the organisers have a veto, in the sense of availability of freebies, on who is appointed as Captain?

If No, then the ICU have got it wrong, if Yes then up to 200 (?) Federations are potentially affected.

[Peter Kirby]

Rules 4.1 & 4.2 from the FIDE Handbook are to be enforced at the Olympiad. FIDE have recently sent an email (May 5th) of clarification to all Federations.

The terms "Trainer" and "Captain" are used inter-changeably.

[Roger de Coverly]

Rules 4.1 & 4.2 from the FIDE Handbook are to be enforced at the Olympiad.

So it's a case of evil FIDE. When they say "title" do they mean OTB or arbiter title as well as Trainer title?

[Peter Kirby]

When they say "title" do they mean OTB or arbiter title as well as Trainer title?

Trainer Title is required.

[NickFaulks]

I've gone to the extreme length of actually reading the rules. There is in practice no problem. I'm sure the ICU will send the captain they wish to send. If they feel the need to justify their choice by invoking some imaginary issue with FIDE, I don't think that is a matter for this forum.

[LawrenceCooper]

The Welsh have been advised that payment of 50 Euros and filling in a DI Title Application Form (for each coach) sent to GM Grivas prior to the Olympiad will suffice.

[NickFaulks]

Precisely, and as I suggested upthread.

[Tim Harding]

I've gone to the extreme length of actually reading the rules. There is in practice no problem. I'm sure the ICU will send the captain they wish to send. If they feel the need to justify their choice by invoking some imaginary issue with FIDE, I don't think that is a matter for this forum.

I have drawn the attention of the selected Irish men's team captain to this debate but he hasn't replied to me yet.

It does seem to depend on the interpretation of the phrase in the FIDE Handbook " any official FIDE/TRG title".

Does this include playing titles (and if so, does Candidate Master count)? I think it's evident the ICU consider it does not.

Does it include arbiter and/or organiser titles?

Where is this explained?

It does seem to me though that the ICU may have got this right and that if arbiter and organiser titles are NOT allowed then the Welsh may need to reconsider their selection of Lawrence Cooper. (He could go but would have to pay for his accommodation etc. and would not be allowed in the playing area.)

As for the selection of the Irish men's team captain, I am not sure what Nick means by "I'm sure the ICU will send the captain they wish to send."
When applications to be captains were invited the FIDE trainer regulation was not mentioned.
Three people applied for the men's captain role but two (who would otherwise have been excellent captains) were disqualified as they did not meet the FIDE trainer requirement.
Therefore they had to select the one candidate who is listed as an FI on the FIDE rating list. He is a former chairperson of ICU and former team captain so I am sure he too can do the job satisfactorily.

So far as I am aware, the only time the ICU ran a seminar to qualify people for these trainer titles was at Bunratty last year which would have entailed considerable expense for anyone wishing to qualify (travel to the West, board and lodging in a hotel, time off work if applicable).
Now I think they will have to run another one over weekends in Dublin to qualify more people.

[LawrenceCooper]

It does seem to me though that the ICU may have got this right and that if arbiter and organiser titles are NOT allowed then the Welsh may need to reconsider their selection of Lawrence Cooper. (He could go but would have to pay for his accommodation etc. and would not be allowed in the playing area.) .

You may care to read my post above before calling for my sacking