Kasparov vs Ilyumzhinov: the FIDE Presidency battle begins

[Stewart Reuben]

Nick, I suspect you are wrong. If you were offered a bribe, it is quite likely you would adopt the contrary viewpoint.

It is quite irritating never to have been offered a bribe. How can I know what my required fee would be if I have never been tested?
But people in FIDE aren't stupid. They know it would be counter-productive to offer Nick or me a bribe. Sigh...

[JustinHorton]

Which part would be the joke? I have always stated quite clearly that I would be happy to accept bribes from anyone, and they would not affect my behaviour in any way.

You may think this is funny, but it isn't.

[Michael Farthing]

In view of your signature, Justin, kettles, pots!

[JustinHorton]

Jesus wept.

[Michael Farthing]

Jesus wept.

It was light-hearted.

[JustinHorton]

Well, if you don't mind me being a little less light-hearted for a moment - it's not all that amusing to see long-time FIDE insiders joke about bribes, because bribery is a serious and poisonous reality within FIDE. Yes, ho ho, why don't they offer me a bribe - that's not so hilarious when you bear in mind that one reason FIDE is like that is that people within it have been complacent about it for so long.

It's not all right. I really don't want to play the humourless arse, but given things have been so bad for so long, there's just something about the exchanges above that really get on my wick.

[Roger de Coverly]

because bribery is a serious and poisonous reality within FIDE.

You might think that and I could agree, however the campaign in favour of Kirsan's re-election deny it, even to the extent of choosing it as a blog name.

http://fidenot4sale.blogspot.de/

How much significance should be attached to the length of the list of nominations? Hardly any European Federations , including the ECF, added their names even though they may already have decided, whether provisionally or otherwise.

Not so long ago, FIDE produced a document showing the size of world sporting bodies. The ICC (cricket) was last at 10. That quite obviously isn't correct. The true position is quite interesting as there's a hierarchy starting at the top with the Test playing countries. The move up the tiers and gaining of influence and voting rights depending on the amount of activity, clubs etc. but also playing strength as measured by results against the next higher tier.

[NickFaulks]

Which part would be the joke? I have always stated quite clearly that I would be happy to accept bribes from anyone, and they would not affect my behaviour in any way.

You may think this is funny, but it isn't.

Well, I thought it was, but also that it illustrates an important point - which you have of course edited out of the quote. I have never been offered a bribe ( unless I didn't notice, which I'm sure can happen if you don't know the drill ). I'm not talking about chess.

Stewart is right. You won't really know how you would react until it occurs. If someone I favoured offered me an inducement, it would feel wrong to take it and still vote for them. I probably wouldn't even want to any more. However, if someone I had no intention of supporting did so, I cannot see the ethical problem in taking their money. It would not affect my opinion of them, and would deplete their campaign funds. Anyway, it's more an undergraduate philosophy question than anything else, since it's not going to happen.

[JustinHorton]

1. Nothing can be done about bribery if bribery is not reported.

2. Bribery cannot be reported if a bribe is accepted.

[Rob Thompson]

I'm not so sure about point 1 there. Bribery will cease, or at least be reduced, if it becomes inefficient. That seems to be what Nick is aiming for.

[Mick Norris]

More news on the main event
http://www.chessvibes.com/?q=its-offici ... s-kasparov

[JustinHorton]

Just out of interest. I don't suppose anybody knows whether the Bartholomew Bongo mentioned here as President of the Gabon Chess Federation is any relation of the Ali Bongo who is President of Gabon?

(It's not a rhetorical question. For all I know Bongo is as common a surname in Gabon as Smith in England or García in Spain.)

[David Sedgwick]

Just out of interest. I don't suppose anybody knows whether the Bartholomew Bongo mentioned here as President of the Gabon Chess Federation is any relation of the Ali Bongo who is President of Gabon?

(It's not a rhetorical question. For all I know Bongo is as common a surname in Gabon as Smith in England or García in Spain.)

I know one member of this Forum who has connections with the Gabon Chess Federation. You could try sending him a private message.

His name? Andrew Paulson

[Chris Rice]

Just out of interest. I don't suppose anybody knows whether the Bartholomew Bongo mentioned here as President of the Gabon Chess Federation is any relation of the Ali Bongo who is President of Gabon?

(It's not a rhetorical question. For all I know Bongo is as common a surname in Gabon as Smith in England or García in Spain.)

The full name of the President of the Gabon Chess Federation is Bongo Akanga Ndjila Barthlemy. The Bongo family have been the ruling family in Gabon for the last 45 years through a mixture of corruption and embezzlement. The Bongo family is extensive and its rumoured that Ali Bongo who took power in 2011 was in fact adopted anyway. It may be that the chess guy is some distant Bongo family cousin perhaps, I suspect the only way to find out is to ask him and then decide whether you want to believe him.

[Stewart Reuben]

Chris, when you make that type of statement as in the second line, you should include the word 'allegedly'.