"Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced his resignation as FIDE President"

[Roger de Coverly]

Is that going to happen? The ECF Board doesn't release full transcripts of its meetings. Indeed it's not unusual for sections of the published minutes to be redacted.

The ECF has recent experience of this. Two of the last four Presidents have resigned or threatened to resign. On both occasions, the resignations were accepted, although in one case at the second or third attempt (I think).

With the number of attendees, FIDE Board meetings are perhaps more akin to ECF Council meetings and thus more difficult to keep confidential.

[NickFaulks]

Is that going to happen? The ECF Board doesn't release full transcripts of its meetings. Indeed it's not unusual for sections of the published minutes to be redacted.

I hope you're not suggesting that the ECF's Central Committee could be guilty of double standards.

[Nick Grey]

Since when was the truth a requirement of minutes/statements?
Is that chess monthly link a April fool & not published?
If not then the ECF statement is in bad taste.
I have enough issues with ECF taking monies from me for my fide membership when other countries & associations do not.

The whole thread still reads like something out of The Prisoner but I suspect there is also Money involved as well.

[Roger de Coverly]

I have enough issues with ECF taking monies from me for my fide membership

It gets a bit muddy as to FIDE "membership" with the online Arena, but as far as voting for or against Kirsan is concerned, it's only the National Federations who have a vote. Unlike the ECF, it's not weighted by size.

[Nick Grey]

I have not & will not sign up with online Arena - it is coming up as very dodgy.

What voting for or against Kirsan?
A man or a woman should be able to resign. Fancy wanting answers before the decision is taken?

[Roger de Coverly]

The President for the Americas now weighs in.
http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... erica.html

Outside of the USCF and sometimes the CFC, most Federations in the Americas have been consistent Kirsan supporters regardless.

He reveals something to do with Agon

I can reiterate that what triggered this crisis was not a request by the PB to abandon the position of President but a proposal of Mr. Ilyumzhinov regarding AGON, the company to which FIDE has granted the rights of execution of the events of the World Championship Cycle, which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Presidential Board.

The website seems in the hands of "the revolution", as Nigel Freeman's actions in disclosing what went on behind closed doors is supported.

that Mr. Nigel Freeman, Executive Director of FIDE, only fulfilled the duties inherent to his position.

Kirsan is, or was, in Moldova, opening a chess tournament or two with Nigel Short(!) Usually the FIDE site reports these things complete with a Kirsan selfie alongside a local politician or despot. There's nothing on the FIDE site about the latest visit.

[Chris Rice]

I had a look at Kirsan's FB page and interestingly he is listed as "Former President (title) at FIDE". Wonder if that means he has already conceded defeat?

[Roger de Coverly]

I had a look at Kirsan's FB page and interestingly he is listed as "Former President (title) at FIDE". Wonder if that means he has already conceded defeat?

The next item down is another circular letter denying his resignation and denouncing "the enemy within", namely certain members of the FIDE staff.

https://twitter.com/Ilyumzhinov/status/ ... 28/photo/1

[Chris Rice]

Kirsan has now sent a letter to all the Federations detailing a promised $30 million investment to bring the number of global chess players to 1 billion. It looks desperate, in the USA this would be known as a bit of a hail Mary play. This kind of thing has worked for him in the past but after 22 years there aren't many left who would really believe he is able to back it up. The PB meeting is on Monday the 10th, just five days away, he clearly isn't going to leave without kicking and screaming.

[Roger de Coverly]

bring the number of global chess players to 1 billion.

The existing 600 million is an extrapolation based on some fairly soft research, cloud cuckoo territory.

Hard numbers are the head counts of those participating in organised chess, whether over the board or on line which fall short of this by several zeros. You would expect those interested in chess on a casual basis to be some multiple of those playing in competitions. I'm not aware that anyone has attempted to establish what that multiplier might be, or whether it was consistent over time.

[Mick Norris]

Kirsan has now sent a letter to all the Federations detailing a promised $30 million investment to bring the number of global chess players to 1 billion. It looks desperate, in the USA this would be known as a bit of a hail Mary play. This kind of thing has worked for him in the past but after 22 years there aren't many left who would really believe he is able to back it up. The PB meeting is on Monday the 10th, just five days away, he clearly isn't going to leave without kicking and screaming.

Has Kirsan coughed up the $20m he promised during the election v Kasparov in 2014?

[Roger de Coverly]

Has Kirsan coughed up the $20m he promised during the election v Kasparov in 2014?

Of course not. Furthermore he's depleting FIDE's funds with his expense claims and awarding World Championships to countries unable or unwilling to pay prize funds.

[NickFaulks]

"Congratulations to Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov on his birthday! FIDE wishes him good health and happiness!"

[David Sedgwick]

"Congratulations to Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov on his birthday! FIDE wishes him good health and happiness!"

The interesting thing about that article is that it does not describe him as FIDE President.

Compare and contrast with the equivalent article a year ago:

http://www.fide.com/component/content/a ... hday-.html

[Michael Farthing]

Nevertheless the page does still have a box so describing him (top right hand corner)