JustinHorton wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 4:15 pm
He
identified these
people as:
- Michael Khodarkovsky (who he says is head of the Kasparov Foundation in the USA)
- Graham Jurgensen (who he says is head of the Kasparov Foundation in Africa)
- Essis Essoh (who he says was Kasparov's candidate for Africa)
Now obviously Urosevic is by no means a neutral observer in this
campaign, nor an
uncontroversial individual. I'm also aware that people change sides in FIDE politics, and that just because somebody may work for Garry Kasparov or his Foundation, that doesn't mean they are always his to command.
But what Urosevic says is interesting nonetheless. So what I'd like to know, not least because I'm not entirely familiar with the dramatis personae, is:
- Does Urosevic identify these people correctly?
- Were they campaigning for Dvorkovich in Batumi?
Fundamentally I'm looking for accurate information rather than speculation: knowing who is connected to whom, in what way, and who did what for whom might be important here.
I know the first two reasonably well. Both are members of the Grand Chess Tour Advisory Board and I am the GCT Chief Arbiter.
I met Essoh Essis (note that Essoh is his first name and Essis his surname) for the first time in Batumi.
"Michael Khodarkovsky (who he says is head of the Kasparov Foundation in the USA)"
Correct to the best of my knowledge.
"Graham Jurgensen (who he says is head of the Kasparov Foundation in Africa)"
Correct to my certain knowledge.
"Essis Essoh (who he says was Kasparov's candidate for Africa)"
Not quite correct. Essis is a close ally of Olalekan Adeyemi, who was the pro-Kasparov candidate for the African Chess Confederation Presidency in 2014 and lost to the pro-Ilyumzhinov Lewis Ncube.
This time round Adeyemi was on Short's ticket and, like Short himself and fellow ticket member Lukasz Turlez, he is now a FIDE Vice-President.
My perspective is that Khodarkovsky, Jurgensen and Essis were all Short supporters who followed Short's lead in switching their support to Dvorkovich. Essis's candidacy for the African Chess Confederation Presidency was endorsed by Short early on, but a few days before the elections Essis formally declared for Dvorkovich. On the day of the vote, Tshepo Sitale (the pro-Makropoulos cndidate, who stood no chance) withdrew in Essis's favour, but nevertheless the incumbent, Ncube, narrowly won in pehaps the biggest shock of the elections.
I wasn't close enough to the action to be able to say whether either Khodarkosky or Jurgensen was actively campaigning for Dvorkovich. I do know that Jurgensen told me that he was concentrating on the African election (which of course went wrong for him).
Even if Khodarkosky and Jurgensen were campaigning for Dvorkovich, it doesn't follow that Garry Kasparov endorsed their actions. Malcolm Pein is also involved with the Kasparov Chess Foundation and a member of the GCT Advisory Board. That doesn't make Kasparov a Makropoulos supporter.
This brings me back to my post of 30th June, following the announcement that Bachar Kouatly was to be Dvorkovich's candidate for Deputy President.
David Sedgwick wrote: ↑Sat Jun 30, 2018 8:30 am
Grand Chess Tour personnel, previously split two ways, are now split three ways.
As the Chief Arbiter of the said Tour, my position is one of strict neutrality.
Hence. breaking the habit of a lifetime, I am seeking to refrain from expressing my opinion on these threads.