Emergency Board Meeting - Draft Minutes

[NickFaulks]

The row is basically over who the ECF should support or vote for in the forthcoming FIDE and ECU elections.

Indeed, and why isn't anyone commenting on how absurd that is. Has everything in English chess been going so well for the past four years that this is the most important issue the ECF has to face? Is this worth two shambolic presidencies?

The ECF should of course decide who to support, and then do so. I'm sure they have a mechanism for doing that. I have always assumed that the England would support Kasparov Leong, which is fine. Opposition to Kirsan seems deeply ingrained, and should not be ignored.

The fact is that nobody outside England cares very much which way they vote. It's not as though they have any international influence - their failure even to send anyone to Tallinn was widely noticed.

[Paul McKeown]

No, of course not. Because money talks, and UK statute law severely punishes the acceptance of inducements. For all our faults, we generally prefer a modicum of honesty and transparency. And blood-money, which is clearly what Kirsan's is, is eschewed even more firmly.

[JustinHorton]

No, of course not. Because money talks, and UK statute law severely punishes the acceptance of inducements. For all our faults, we generally prefer a modicum of honesty and transparency

Although

[Paul McKeown]

Of course, you would attempt to make out that British business and political culture is as corrupt as under Russian autocracy, as you are incapable of seeing the world in any semblance of proportion. No one would claim that we live in a society without blemish, but we do have a free press and a strong, independent judicial system, so wrongdoing does tend to get adverse publicity at the very least. Independent research tends to support that contention.

[Roger de Coverly]

No, of course not. Because money talks, and UK statute law severely punishes the acceptance of inducements. For all our faults, we generally prefer a modicum of honesty and transparency. And blood-money, which is clearly what Kirsan's is, is eschewed even more firmly.

It is or was a reasonable settled and supported ECF policy. Something that AP, if he wished to work with the rest of English chess had to accept as a given.

But there do seem to be hints emerging that the conflict over the FIDE and ECU elections isn't the only one, just the first to surface probably because Nigel is more prepared to be outspoken than other Directors.

It's something that wasn't asked back in October, but if the President was going to enter into negotiations with disaffected actors over a whole range of topics, how did this square with the role of the CEO and Directors with nominal responsibility?

[JustinHorton]

Of course, you would attempt to make out that British business and political culture is as corrupt as under Russian autocracy

Of course I haven't Paul: that's something you've made up.

[David Sedgwick]

The row is basically over who the ECF should support or vote for in the forthcoming FIDE and ECU elections.

Indeed, and why isn't anyone commenting on how absurd that is.

Absurd or not, I don't believe it to be correct, as I said in my previous post.

[Colm Daly]

I was too optimistic!

Andrew

My guess would be yes! That is about the size of it.

Assuming for the moment you are the greatest thing for English Chess since sliced bread [and even Nigel seems to have allowed for this being potentially true - He does in fairness seem to respect and like you on a personal level] surely there are many ways in which you could be active and beneficial to English Chess without having to be involved with the ECF or be the president of the ECF.

Seems clear that, on balance, you are no longer in favor and it is as if, almost anything you say or do, from here on in, is not going to change things.

On the other hand, might I boldly suggest that in light of the backward state that chess is in, within my own country [Ireland], and in particular the relatively dysfunctional state of our federation [ICU] You would be greeted with open arms, and easily be able to fit into the role of Chairman of the ICU. and in no time at all have pretty much free reign to use the organization as you please. Seriously, you would be Lionized here, and very quickly be able to treat Irish Chess and the ICU as a sort of fiefdom. With little effort, you would be "one of us" in jig time, and celebrated as a messiah like figure within Irish chess for years. I am not kidding you, you would have a ball and actually enjoy it all.

Unlike in England, "Whinging (Brit. variant of to bitch, whine, complain)" is often just about all that people in Irish chess will do. So whereas in England people will actually take action and get involved- in this case, force you to resign as ECF president. You would not have to worry about that in Ireland. In fact, with your abilities and business acumen, Irish chess would be a fantastic vehicle through which you could achieve all manner of things.

Yes indeed, Andrew Paulson: Chairman of the Irish Chess Union has a nice ring to it. How about it? I can think of many people who could and would nominate and support you for the leadership position of the ICU and I can assure you that getting all your own people on to the executive would be child's play to someone like you.

Elections are to be held later this year in September, but if you were to come forward as being interested in being the ICU Chairman before then, I am sure that with an EGM called well in advance of that, it would be possible for you to be voted in as a new Chairman of the ICU well before April. With plenty of time before the 2014 Fide congress.

Pretty sure that the ICU position currently on the Fide Presidential election would be very pro Kasparov for sure, but that could easily change anytime between now and the Fide Congress. As a third world chess federation within a first world country, the possibilities for someone like yourself in Irish chess are boundless. You could and would have Irish chess wrapped around your little finger in no time, whereas in England that is rather more tricky and a lot of hassle.

As current Irish Champion I will be happy to nominate you for the position of ICU Chairman and give you a fresh start as a leader of an English speaking federation. You see, things are so bad here that you would indeed be a huge boost to Irish chess, whereas in England, well I think they have a more sophisticated and complex set of things going on, and so really the ECF and English chess is perhaps not best suited for having someone like yourself leading?

Flights from London to Dublin are very very frequent- in fact, it is one of the busiest city to city routes in the world. In Ireland we also have US immigration and customs PRE FLIGHT CLEARANCE in our Airports on flights to the USA, so trips back and forth to the USA would be even easier.

So come on Andrew, take a chance on Irish chess instead, pack your bags, come visit us and you will find a typical Irish "Cead Mile Failte". You know it makes sense. A dynamic, energetic and brilliant man taking hold of chess federation and steering it swiftly into the future. Imagine the potential then for Irish chess.

Oh and did I mention the very low corporate tax rates here? You have heard of the "Double Irish" no doubt. Why else would Google, Apple and a host of other companies set up here? Why not AGON too?

Now I hope that in the eyes of my English chess friends I will be forgiven for appearing to be trying to "take Andrew off your hands" or poaching him. How about if Andrew Paulson goes for the position of Fide president?

[Paul McKeown]

I did wonder what agenda Colm Daly might be following. Now I know. In the light of this travesty, I will have to renew my membership of the ICU, just to oppose such rank opportunism.

[Carl Hibbard]

I did wonder what agenda Colm Daly might be following. Now I know. In the light of this travesty, I will have to renew my membership of the ICU, just to oppose such rank opportunism.

No forum over there so you would never find out what was going on anyway

[David Robertson]

Well said, Colm One of the finest posts on this benighted thread.

Welcome to the Forum too. I think you could have a wonderful role to play. You're clearly a man of some wit and inventiveness; and, I suspect, some mischief. Could prove a bit rich for some in here (I hope )

No IRU Forum? So what? They can all pile in here. Who'd notice? The English brawl; the Irish maul. Outcome: mayhem

[PeterFarr]

Well said, Colm One of the finest posts on this benighted thread.

Welcome to the Forum too. I think you could have a wonderful role to play. You're clearly a man of some wit and inventiveness; and, I suspect, some mischief. Could prove a bit rich for some in here (I hope )

Seconded, absolute genius.

[Colm Daly]

Without knowing very much about the voting and governance process of the Swiss Federation, does signing up the President to your ticket automatically guarantee support of that Federation?

I would guess not. Technically they could change their mind! A week is a long time in politics etc etc.

So, Colm (welcome to the bearpit...)
Would you then expect that if the President of the Swiss Chess Federation has acted unilaterally or precipitately in the matter of announcing support for a certain candidate he should be impeach before long - within a week, say?

I honestly am not sure. I know that when I served on the ICU our previous Chairman done all manner of things without consulting with the rest of the committee and it became an almost full time job of mine to take him to task for many such things and then correcting some of the stupid or and wrong things he had done. The road to hell being paved with good intentions being mentioned many times.

Within a committee setting many knew what was going on but turned a blind eye or were simply apathetic and or indifferent and I think that is a universal thing which varies in scale from country to country. But still there were times when disaster or just bad choices were averted.

But the chess public hardly ever get to know half of what goes on, and so, far from getting any thanks or appreciation for trying to do things correctly people sometimes get abused, disrespected for making waves.

In the case above, I would tend to think that a federation should only give an open letter of support for a Fide Presidential candidate after the issues has been discussed by the executive committee members of that federation in consultation with it's own Fide delegate, a motion is proposed and supported by majority vote within the committee is passed.

If it the case that Chairman or President decided himself to offer public support then yes I would say that if there was any doubt about this being a likely position of a federation then action should be taken, if need be an EGM or just a motion of censure from within the committee or just an emergency meeting of that board/executive committee to clarify the true position.

And, would you expect the same to happen in the Irish Chess Federation?

Goodness only knows what to expect from the Irish Chess Union [ICU = Irish chess federation] it is not in a good state of health, as neither is Irish chess generally, an issue of competence would usually arise as most of the time people on the ICU committee are fairly clueless about what they are doing, though many have good intentions to be fair and do much good work too.

Just to put things in perspective, at the last AGM the accounts were not presented and thus not passed, the Treasurer and the Chairman of the ICU resigned soon after the AGM- days in the case of the Chairman, but weeks or months in the case of the Treasurer.

The Chairman resigned publicly through a statement on the ICU website while with the Treasurer, though he had resigned for some time, and a friend of one of the committee had been appointed to the position to replace him, by majority vote of the executive , no mention of this was made publicly for months- people in the know were well aware of this however.

And despite a motion having been voted on and passed at the AGM last September to the effect that the ICU accounts must be presented to the membership at an EGM, this has still not been done and so currently nobody knows what the financial situation of the ICU is! Now do you think for a moment that such a situation like that could happen with the ECF? No would be my guess, so for all it's problems the ECF is far ahead of the ICU in terms of good governance.

Not all bad in Irish chess of course but we have some huge problems of our own.

[Roger de Coverly]

No forum over there so you would never find out what was going on anyway

There's http://www.irishchesscogitations.com/blog/ which has been discussing the ECF.

Also https://ballynafeighchess.wordpress.com ... ws-gossip/

Both are structured as blogs.

[Colm Daly]

I did wonder what agenda Colm Daly might be following. Now I know. In the light of this travesty, I will have to renew my membership of the ICU, just to oppose such rank opportunism.

Agenda? I have no idea what agenda I could have? I am open to suggestions.

Perhaps there is an element here of me indulging myself with, if I can use a lovely phrase I have often heard in England,

"Your having a laugh mate"

We have got to see the funny side of things too?