English Chess Forum

There was a bid by FIDE on January 30th to include chess as an additional or demonstration sport In the Paris 2024 Olympics. The article by Peter Doggers is the first time I've seen what's involved in the process:

"In what will be a long and complicated process (which includes a lengthy questionnaire from the IOC's Programme Commission), chess will have to fulfil many more criteria, besides an appeal to millennials. Areas that will be looked at include the sport's history and tradition, gender equity, its overall fanbase as measured by e.g. TV audiences and social media, transparency and fairness, and for instance its advertising revenue potential."

What appears to give it a better chance of success this time is that it's largely driven by Bachar Kouatly, the President of the French Federation and the initiative to get eSports included in the Olympic Games.

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:07 am

largely driven by Bachar Kouatly, and the initiative to get eSports included in the Olympic Games

Well done, Monsieur Kouatly! We need this. Time to brush up on my ePole-Vaulting

There are already too many sports in the Olympics.

J T Melsom wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:47 pm

There are already too many sports in the Olympics.

I feel it is time to bring back Poodle Clipping and Live Pigeon Shooting along with my favourite, Solo Synchronized Swimming

They should certainly bring back poetry.

Probably waiting Vogon membership of the IOC.

As reported by chessbase

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-olympic-dream

The 600 million claim is back again

Leaders of the International and French chess federations met with the French press to promote the inclusion of chess, a sport with a genuine global appeal – FIDE has a membership of 189 national federations, and 600 millions of people practice chess in the world.

So that's one hard statistic (189 federations) and one dubious guess (600 million).

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:06 am

As reported by chessbase

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-olympic-dream

The 600 million claim is back again

Well who saw that coming

I'm waiting for someone to show a bit of enthusiasm for this scheme ( it won't be me ).

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 8:22 am

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:06 am

As reported by chessbase

https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-olympic-dream

The 600 million claim is back again

Well who saw that coming

First time by the new administration though?

EDIT: I can't find the Press Release on the FIDE website. All I can find is this: https://www.fide.com/component/content/ ... -2024.html which has no mention of 600m players.

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:14 am

I'm waiting for someone to show a bit of enthusiasm for this scheme ( it won't be me ).

It wouldn't be likely to a particularly large event in chess terms. Could it be anything larger than say a 64 or 128 player knock out with perhaps six categories, men/women (or Open/women) and (Classical/Rapid/Blitz)? It would likely be rating restricted to above X with presumably a wild card or two to include parts of the world without any elite players.

The concept of separate Open and women's competition is an alien one for the IOC. Show jumping and other horsey events permit women to compete alongside men, but that's with the exclusion of a separate women's event.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:56 am

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:14 am

I'm waiting for someone to show a bit of enthusiasm for this scheme ( it won't be me ).

It wouldn't be likely to a particularly large event in chess terms. Could it be anything larger than say a 64 or 128 player knock out with perhaps six categories, men/women (or Open/women) and (Classical/Rapid/Blitz)? It would likely be rating restricted to above X with presumably a wild card or two to include parts of the world without any elite players.

The concept of separate Open and women's competition is an alien one for the IOC. Show jumping and other horsey events permit women to compete alongside men, but that's with the exclusion of a separate women's event.

The World University Championship had a men's competition and a women's competition.

I suppose it could be an Olympiad-style event, but for Rapidplay and Blitz. If that is to be the case, then the issue with that is that we'd have to compete as Great Britain and not England/Scotland/Wales/Jersey/Guernsey etc. There is no British Olympic football team for that reason - specifically a fear that they will be forced to compete as that in FIFA events.

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:53 pm

I suppose it could be an Olympiad-style event, but for Rapidplay and Blitz. If that is to be the case, then the issue with that is that we'd have to compete as Great Britain and not England/Scotland/Wales/Jersey/Guernsey etc.

Surely there would be a minimum qualification standard or qualifying events? FIFA has around the same number of members as FIDE, but you don't see every FIFA member with a team at the Olympics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_ ... r_Olympics

In addition to host nation Japan, 15 men's national teams will qualify from six separate continental confederations

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:53 pm

The World University Championship had a men's competition and a women's competition.

I suppose it could be an Olympiad-style event, but for Rapidplay and Blitz. If that is to be the case, then the issue with that is that we'd have to compete as Great Britain and not England/Scotland/Wales/Jersey/Guernsey etc. There is no British Olympic football team for that reason - specifically a fear that they will be forced to compete as that in FIFA events.

There's a Women's GB football team agreed for 2020 (subject to actually qualifying)

I can't believe that chess would get in the Olympics, but there's no reason why it couldn't be classical given how long an Olympic Games lasts (indeed the football tournaments start before the official opening of the Olympic Games)