Olympiad Organizers "Engaging in War" with Chess Federation

(ATR) "Illegal and biased actions" could be spoiling the chess Olympiad, warns the federation’s president.

In a two-page open letter to the organizers of the Chess Olympiad posted on the website of FIDE, the international chess federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said a FIDE presidential hopeful and his staff are the reason for the headaches with the event.

One of the most notable concerns: the world champion women’s team from Russia was barred from participating after organizers received their registration.

"Everything is very clear and it is a wonder how the organizing committee is now refusing its participation," Ilyumzhinov wrote on Friday.

"Political reasons connected with the FIDE elections" is the explanation, Ilyumzhinov wrote.

The Russian Ilyumzhinov is running for reelection against Garry Kasparov. Elections will take place during the Olympiad.

Tromsoe 2014 organizers issued a press release on Friday acknowledging receipt of the letter. Organizers said they would review the letter and comment by 11:00 AM local time on Monday. The Olympiad is scheduled for August 1 – 14. Previously, event chairman Boerge Robertson had denied any favoritism took place.

"We have a regulation," he was quoted by AFP. "We stick to it and treat everybody equally."

Taking executive action, Ilyumzhinov told Tromsoe organizers to accept the registration of Russia and nine other national federations and said FIDE would explore "all measures" to take against the organizers.

Noting that "many problems" previously highlighted by FIDE were not resolved by organizers, Ilyumzhinov summed up his complaints with Tromsoe 2014.

"The main duty of the organizing committee should be to solve these problems connected with the games, not to engage in war with FIDE or its national federations."

Written by Ed Hula III

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