Kasparov vs Ilyumzhinov: the FIDE Presidency battle begins

[Angus French]

Perhaps the point is that Leong is on Kasparov's ticket and the report raises new (to many, I assume) concerns about financial propriety.

I'm not sure who Roger considers an apologist - anyone who expresses a concern about the Kasparov ticket and cares about ethical standards? That doesn't imply being pro-Ilyumzhinov.

[John McKenna]

Elsewhere on the Forum Nigel Short has posted, "I am NOT anti-FIDE..."

At least he avoided Tricky Dicky's "I am NOT a crook."
But only just because to some FIDE is synonymous with crook.

They think the E stands for Embezzlement (so Nigel is saying he is not anti-crook).
That is their problem. What is the problem with FIDE?
Is it institutionally crooked and beyond rehabilitation?

Garry & Nigel want to play hardball like Eliot Ness & Jim Malone in the 'Untouchables'.

They wish to get rid of Mr. Big, but do they promise to prohibit all illicit activities with zero tolerance? It does not look like it - even the Untouchables have resorted to setting thieves in order to fight fire with fire, it seems.
[In both the FIDE(mbezzlement) and the E(mbezzlement)CU elections that is.]

Even if the Untouchables (perhaps that should be Incorruptibles) win the battles for office will they continue the war on corruption once in office? Some doubt it - believing that the institution will corrupt even them by its very nature.

Whereas, Andrew Paulson sounds like an honest businessman who just wants both Mr. Big and the Untouchables to stand aside so that a kind of Chamber of Commerce can make the transition from illegit to legit business practices. This is a bit too much like a softball-in-the-park approach. (Or, as his doubters think, a smokescreen for some other plan.)

If the forces of 'law & order' and 'legit business' cannot find a way to work together (even in English chess) to clean up and instead end up fighting each other then, yet again, only the Mr. Bigs and their attendant petty crooks will win.

This is supposed to be English - not the Embezzlement-enabling - Chess Federation.
Andrew said he had been convinced by Nigel that the ECF should not abstain in Tromso.
That sounds as if he is prepared to abide by a majority decision - what's wrong with that?
Can't Nigel (& Andrew) see that sometimes it is better to compromise than be compromised? If this is not the time then we are probably in for more of the same old...

Garry & Nigel seem to be prepared to risk everything on a single throw of the dice.

[Chris Rice]

The battle for Africa rages on....

5 Nigerian chess players offered scholarship to Russian varsity
Published on February 16, 2014 by pmnews

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the Russian President, World Chess Federation (FIDE) has offered to sponsor five Nigerians every year to study chess and any other course in Russian universities from September, 2014.

IIyumzhinov who was on an official visit to Nigeria, made the offer on Sunday in Abuja.

Ilyumzhinov also promised to donate chess equipment, textbooks and sponsor seminars for Nigerian trainers, as part of efforts to boost the development of the sport in the country.

Commissioner of Police, Sani Mohammed and a former President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), said police schools across the federation would leverage on the opportunity.

“Nigeria police has 67 primary and secondary schools and chess has started in the schools already, and whatever support we get we will like to replicate,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel Omuku, a former FIDE Vice President also welcomed the commitment of the FIDE president, saying it will go a long way to boost the sport.

Also speaking, Mr Odion Aikhoje, the 1998 Nigerian gold medalist at the World Chess Olympiad in Elista, Russia, expressed delight on the commitment of FIDE president to support chess players in the country.

“After my achievement in 1998 where I won the gold medal at the chess Olympiad, we have not had the opportunity for other chess players to replicate the efforts because of funds to attend international events.

“This foundation which FIDE president says he will support is a wonderful idea, that will create funds to take care of people who want to develop their chess at the international level.

“It is going to be of great assistance to the Nigeria Chess Federation,” he said.

Aikhoje also commended the FIDE president for his love for the game and his personal interest in the development of chess in Africa.

He said that Nigeria has recorded an increase in the number of international referees and arbiters due to extensive support by FIDE.

According to him, the number of internationally rated Nigeria players currently stood at more than 500.

Ilyumzhinov’s one-day visit to Nigeria was part of his tour of African countries.

[Chris Rice]

On Spraggett's site today:

0-2

It looks to me as though Kasparov is lagging 0-2 with respect to the recent leaks. First, he has not escaped entirely from the revelations involving Ignatius Leong, and secondly, the stolen memorandum is NOT the damaging document that it was hoped to be. Kirsan might simply be able to point to the leaks as evidence of a dirty and increasingly desperate Kasparov campaign. Kasparov might want to portray the leaked memorandum as evidence of conflict of interest. But we live in a cynical world where there is NOTHING unusual about politicians doing such things!

[Nigel Short]

The IP address of the "FIDE Not For Sale" campaign dirt blogspot has been traced to... Athens. What a surprise!

[Angus French]

The IP address of the "FIDE Not For Sale" campaign dirt blogspot has been traced to... Athens. What a surprise!

Can you provide evidence of this? The website is fidenot4sale.blogspot.com and blogspot.com is hosted in the US, isn't it?

[David Sedgwick]

The IP address of the "FIDE Not For Sale" campaign dirt blogspot has been traced to... Athens. What a surprise!

Doubtless it will not be long before someone claims that a well known Athens resident and Kasparov supporter is actually a fifth columnist.

[Carl Hibbard]

The IP address of the "FIDE Not For Sale" campaign dirt blogspot has been traced to... Athens. What a surprise!

Can you provide evidence of this? The website is fidenot4sale.blogspot.com and blogspot.com is hosted in the US, isn't it?

Yep that IP suggestion is nonsense.

[David Robertson]

And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

[Patrick McGovern]

"War is a quarrel between two thieves too cowardly to fight their own battle."

[David Sedgwick]

The battle for Africa rages on....

5 Nigerian chess players offered scholarship to Russian varsity
Published on February 16, 2014 by pmnews

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the Russian President, World Chess Federation (FIDE) has offered to sponsor five Nigerians every year to study chess and any other course in Russian universities from September, 2014.

IIyumzhinov who was on an official visit to Nigeria, made the offer on Sunday in Abuja.

Ilyumzhinov also promised to donate chess equipment, textbooks and sponsor seminars for Nigerian trainers, as part of efforts to boost the development of the sport in the country.

Commissioner of Police, Sani Mohammed and a former President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), said police schools across the federation would leverage on the opportunity.

“Nigeria police has 67 primary and secondary schools and chess has started in the schools already, and whatever support we get we will like to replicate,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel Omuku, a former FIDE Vice President also welcomed the commitment of the FIDE president, saying it will go a long way to boost the sport.

Also speaking, Mr Odion Aikhoje, the 1998 Nigerian gold medalist at the World Chess Olympiad in Elista, Russia, expressed delight on the commitment of FIDE president to support chess players in the country.

“After my achievement in 1998 where I won the gold medal at the chess Olympiad, we have not had the opportunity for other chess players to replicate the efforts because of funds to attend international events.

“This foundation which FIDE president says he will support is a wonderful idea, that will create funds to take care of people who want to develop their chess at the international level.

“It is going to be of great assistance to the Nigeria Chess Federation,” he said.

Aikhoje also commended the FIDE president for his love for the game and his personal interest in the development of chess in Africa.

He said that Nigeria has recorded an increase in the number of international referees and arbiters due to extensive support by FIDE.

According to him, the number of internationally rated Nigeria players currently stood at more than 500.

Ilyumzhinov’s one-day visit to Nigeria was part of his tour of African countries.

It doesn't seem to have paid off.

http://kasparov2014.com/2014/02/17/join ... elections/

[Roger de Coverly]

It doesn't seem to have paid off.

Presumably the offer of Russian scholarships was unconditional and in no way connected to Nigeria being expected to commit to vote for the Kirsan ticket at the Presidential election.

Kirsan didn't actually meet with the Nigerian Chess President, although the report at the FIDE site tries to disguise this.

Talking of which, has anyone tracked down the Russian media report referred to by the ECF President where the FIDE President interprets a visit to meet the ECF as ECF support. Is it likely to be the first time anyone from the ECF has met him in connection with FIDE Presidential elections? I wonder how well prepared he will be for questions about his attitude towards dissident journalists.

(edit) According to the FIDE rating site, the number of NGR players with active ratings is actually 37 rather than 500, several of whom play most or all of their chess in England. But it's a large country, so there ought to be an awful lot more. (/edit)

[David Sedgwick]

Is it likely to be the first time anyone from the ECF has met [Kirsan Ilyumzhinov] in connection with FIDE Presidential elections? I wonder how well prepared he will be for questions about his attitude towards dissident journalists.

Hardly. There were the celebrated meetings with David Jarrett at Yerevan Congress 1996.

That of course was before the incident to which you allude in your last sentence.

[Sean Hewitt]

Talking of which, has anyone tracked down the Russian media report referred to by the ECF President where the FIDE President interprets a visit to meet the ECF as ECF support. Is it likely to be the first time anyone from the ECF has met him in connection with FIDE Presidential elections? I wonder how well prepared he will be for questions about his attitude towards dissident journalists.

http://www.ng.ru/antrakt/2014-01-24/10_chess.html from which

- Now we have the support of the Federations of France, England, Switzerland, Spain ... They see my work.

[Patrick McGovern]

"Presumably the offer of Russian scholarships was unconditional and in no way connected to Nigeria being expected to commit to vote for the Kirsan ticket at the Presidential election."

every offer is conditional, to "presume" otherwise is naive, if it were not it would have been made years ago.