Chris Rice wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2017 12:28 am
The ACP have been quick to come up with a
statement on this
I think it's worth noting that that statement was posted on Facebook before
this appeared on the FIDE website. It is interesting to speculate as to whether or not the ACP statement would have been different had they not got in before the FIDE statement.
Incidentally, the statement originally referred to a "historical" agreement, and as you might expect, my helpful contribution to the relevant Facebook post was not to be complimentary about what appear to be very positive things about the substance of the event, but to note wryly that they meant "historic".
FIDE has now changed it though.
Chris Rice wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2017 12:28 am
It's interesting that the statement, if the ACP feel so strongly about it, stops short of urging their members to boycott the event or indeed says anything about the possibility of war breaking out between Saudi Arabia and Iran which might be detrimental to their members but perhaps I'm just being picky.
What sanction would they apply to their members? I think if push came to shove, and ACP members had to choose between having their membership revoked or not being eligible for ACP membership prizes, and playing in this event, they'd choose to play in the event. Not calling for a boycott presumably means the ACP Board think the same, and decided on balance that they'd rather have those players as members of their organisation than not.