Showing posts with label fide elections 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fide elections 2014. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Russian Chess Fed Supports Kirsan FIDE Presidency Candidature
Saturday, October 12, 2013
FIDE Elections: Kasparov's Team
Tallinn, Estonia – Monday, October 07, 2013
Garry Kasparov today announced his candidacy for the presidency of the International Chess Federation, known by its French acronym FIDE. He plans to unseat 18-year incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, also of Russia, in the election that takes place in August 2014. Kasparov became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history in 1985 at the age of 22 and went on to hold the number one ranking for twenty years before his retirement from professional chess in 2005.
Since that time Kasparov has become one of the most prominent opposition voices in Russia and he is the current chairman of the NY-based Human Rights Foundation. His Kasparov Chess Foundation promotes chess in education, a mission that is a centerpiece of Kasparov’s FIDE campaign.
Tonight’s spectacular launch event, hosted in the ballroom of the Swissôtel in the center of Tallinn, coincided with this year’s FIDE Congress, which brings together delegates representing the national federations that make up FIDE’s 178 voting members. The event was hosted by renown Estonian entertainers Hanna-Liina Võsa and Mart Mikk, who were joined on stage by a jazz quartet. Kasparov spoke briefly to the several hundred attendees on his vision “to elevate the game of chess from the grassroots level, to spread the game in education and as a cultural touchstone as well as a successful commercial sport.”
Kasparov then introduced the rest of his ticket, which represents every continent and a mix of business and investment expertise, organizational backgrounds, and chess experience.
Jan Callewaert is a Belgian businessman and entrepreneur with extensive management experience. His passion for chess and its many educational benefits led him to join forces with Kasparov to co-found the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe, of which he is president.
Ignatius Leong of Singapore is practically synonymous with chess in Asia. The current FIDE General Secretary, he is a renown international arbiter, organizer, and trainer with tremendous knowledge and relationships throughout the chess world.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Hamed of the United Arab Emirates moved from a long military education and career to becoming a prominent businessman in trade and transport, among other sectors. He owns several five-star hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. He has a long-standing passion for chess as a player and patron. His educational foundation promotes chess in education in Abu Dhabi schools.
Afrika Msimang of South Africa is the president of the Kasparov Chess Foundation Africa and has a remarkable career record of policy, social activism, and teaching. She has been involved in the successful Moves for Life program, a chess education organization that enjoys the patronage of South African president Jacob Zuma.
Rex Sinquefield of the United States has turned his home city of Saint Louis into a global chess capital. An investor whose Dimension Fund Advisors oversees more than $300 billion, his Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis has hosted the US Championship and other elite events while developing programs for scholastic chess.
Each team member addressed the attendees, with Sheikh Mohammed and Sinquefield sending video greetings. Estonia then continued its warm embrace of Kasparov with Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu coming to the stage to wish him luck and talking about the shared appreciation of the value of chess for kids, including his own.
A full report with video and photos of the event is available at the campaign’s official website, kasparov2014.com. There you can also find more information about the Kasparov campaign’s team and ideas. More detailed policy papers will be published there as the team reaches out to collaborate with the national federations and the chess world. Expect more frequent updates on Kasparov’s personal Twitter and Facebook.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Ilyumzhinov on Kasparov Move to Contest FIDE Elections 2014
"I have been getting the majority of votes since 1995," ITAR-TASS quotes Ilyumzhinov. "If talking of 2010 elections in which my rival was Anatoly Karpov, who was actually actively supported by Garry Kasparov, I had even double advantage. The same happened in 2006. There are no doubts that the very same thing will happen next year too. Well, maybe someone else will present his candidature today... Isn't it nice that sooner or earlier all world champions are trying themselves as presidential candidatures? Let's suggest them to get together - 12th, 13th, 14th champion - and run for the post together."
"I had several tasks when I was nominated in 1995: to save FIDE from bankruptcy, to unite chess world, to popularize chess as a sport, to make chess recognized by the IOC. Those tasks were accomplished. Now we only need to have chess at the winter Olympics. Chess in Schools project is also developing. So, there's still a lot of work to do, that's why I agreed to nominate myself for one more term. This is also my decision.
As regards to Kasparov's nomination - he is always much into PR. Once he wants to be Russia president, then he tries to be the leader of opposition. It's clear that now he needs FIDE president post for solving his own political tasks. It's doubtful that chess players will support him. We have a different motto - "Gens una sumus" - "We are one people." Well, in general it's pleasant for me to see the return of the prodigal son, it seems like my work for chess development for 18 years wasn't done in vain."
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Breaking: Kasparov to Contest FIDE Presidency Election 2014
A few minutes back, Kasparov formally made the announcement at the 84th 84th FIDE Congress in Tallinn. The news is already all over the Internet and we first picked it up via the Chess-News.ru twitter. The current President of FIDE Kirsan Ilymzhinov had already announced his candidature earlier in the morning session of the Congress. Ilyumzhinov also announced that he would be further putting in one million euros for the Chess In School program.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has been President of FIDE since 1995. He won a second time in 2010 after defeating Anatoly Karpov with 95 votes to 55. Later, Karpov and Ilyumzhinov had supposedly buried their "differences".
Garry Kasparov became the World Chess Champion in 1985 after beating Anatoly Karpov. Kasparov announced his ticket on Monday and his team as including Rex Sinquefield, Ignatius Leong, Afrika Msimang, Jan Callewaert and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al Hamed.
Karpov had, in June, said: "I... (hesitates). You know, I am so fed up with Ilyumzhinov's team that... I have a good relationship personally with Ilyumzhinov, but his team is totally corrupt, absolutely useless in managing chess. They, however, set up a system that struck on the image of the International Olympic Committee in Salt Lake City, as well as on the image of different federations. I think exactly this system has reached its peak in chess. Unfortunately, this isn't actively discussed and covered, but something has to be done with the current situation - apart from making useless decisions, they also intervene with chess rules, which is intolerable."
In another question by 'Nasha Gazeta' on whether Kasparov could count on support in Russia, Karpov had said, "No, he can't. Moreover, the Russian Chess Federation will work against him, this is obvious. When I was running for FIDE presidency, against Ilyumzhinov, the federation first voted for me. Russia supported me and then "changed" the position of federation under wild pressure."
The FIDE Chess game begins and we thought all the excitement would end with the Anand vs Carlsen World Chess Championship 2013 in Chennai.
