44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

[John Foley]

India abstained on the UN Security Council resolution that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. This alone should disqualify India from hosting the Olympiad. Decisions have consequences as chess players know.

[Gerard Killoran]

India abstained on the UN Security Council resolution that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. This alone should disqualify India from hosting the Olympiad. Decisions have consequences as chess players know.

"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." George W. Bush.

[NickFaulks]

"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." George W. Bush.

Yep, that went well.

[Tim Harding]

The logic of FIFA's decision unless they change it is as follows:
1. Poland refuse to play Russia in the playoffs semifinal.
2. The countries in the other semifinal (Sweden & Czech Republic) will meet; whichever wins will refuse to play Russia in the playoff final.
3. So Russia is in the Qatar soccer world cup. All or most teams may refuse to play Russia there.
4. Russia could "win" the FIFA World Cup without kicking a ball.

I hope FIFA will come under a lot of pressure to change its decision.

FIDE looks like it is a bit tougher than FIFA:
https://chess24.com/en/read/news/fide-b ... ess-events

If Russian (and Belarus) teams are allowed into any FIDE team events this year (including Seniors), under whatever name, I would hope that all other teams would refuse to play them.

Meanwhile I am glad to see that action is being taken against Karjakin. Chess24 suggest he may not be able to play in the Candidates tournament.

[Roger de Coverly]

FIDE looks like it is a bit tougher than FIFA:

There's are elections due this year for the various elected FIDE positions. Will any Russians, including the current president be allowed to stand?

[John Foley]

Done: Putin apologists added to my list of Forum foes.

[NickFaulks]

Done: Putin apologists added to my list of Forum foes.

Can you name them? I am interested because I haven't seen a single post on the forum that would qualify.

[Alex McFarlane]

Can you name them? I am interested because I haven't seen a single post on the forum that would qualify.

Hi Nick,

He probably wont see your post

[Nick Burrows]

He probably wont see your post

Nice

[NickFaulks]

Can you name them? I am interested because I haven't seen a single post on the forum that would qualify.

Hi Nick,

He probably wont see your post

Oh dear, I suppose that's one way of conducting a reasoned discussion. Can anyone else point to a specific post which might have hurt his feelings?

[Mick Norris]

The logic of FIFA's decision unless they change it is as follows:
1. Poland refuse to play Russia in the playoffs semifinal.
2. The countries in the other semifinal (Sweden & Czech Republic) will meet; whichever wins will refuse to play Russia in the playoff final.
3. So Russia is in the Qatar soccer world cup. All or most teams may refuse to play Russia there.
4. Russia could "win" the FIFA World Cup without kicking a ball.

I hope FIFA will come under a lot of pressure to change its decision.

FIDE looks like it is a bit tougher than FIFA:
https://chess24.com/en/read/news/fide-b ... ess-events

If Russian (and Belarus) teams are allowed into any FIDE team events this year (including Seniors), under whatever name, I would hope that all other teams would refuse to play them.

Meanwhile I am glad to see that action is being taken against Karjakin. Chess24 suggest he may not be able to play in the Candidates tournament.

The Russian women's football team are due to play up the road from me in Leigh on 9, 13 & 17 July in Euro 2022 (which presumably won't take place in England unless FIFA bans the Russian team) EDIT which may happen Fifa to suspend Russia as IOC calls for athletes' suspension

[David Sedgwick]

Can you name them? I am interested because I haven't seen a single post on the forum that would qualify.

Hi Nick,

He probably wont see your post

Oh dear, I suppose that's one way of conducting a reasoned discussion. Can anyone else point to a specific post which might have hurt his feelings?

How about this one:

Putin is acting as he is because he believes, perhaps misguidedly but I'm not sure, that Russia is under threat from Western powers which would like to destroy it.

[JustinHorton]

I think if John Foley meant that, he should maybe say so himself

[Matt Mackenzie]

OK then, I will bite. Why would "Western powers" want to "destroy" Russia (even now)? As opposed to having it behave like a civilised nation.

(and I'm pretty sure whether such a belief is "misguided" or not too)

[JustinHorton]

)As opposed to having it behave like a civilised nation.

While I don't want to bring everything round to the same over-familiar talking points, there's a limit to how far you can sell arms and give diplomatic support to countries which spectacularly do not do this and then claim that it is your motivation in foreign affairs. (You may recall that Robin Cook used to speak about an "ethical foreign policy": it was this kind of yawning gap between actions and statements that he had in mind. His view did not make him popular.) You can't just turn it on and off, be motivated by pragmatic and strategic considerations one day but purely by ethical and humanitarian ones the next, and acting as if it were otherwise is an invitation to be taken for a ride.

But regardless of the ins and outs of this particular argument, if John Foley has a problem he should say so rather than behave in the manner that he's chosen.