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From Spraggett' Chess Blog July 14 2014
"And Canada–voting for the Kirsan camp in August–has just finished its annual online meeting, seeing its president Vlad Drkulec being re-elected to a second one-year mandate. I am not sure congratulations are inorder, Vlad, but congratulations anyway! (My opinion is that Vlad is a competent administrator, something that the CFC has not seen for atleast a decade)
However, Canadian chess is suffering big time, and not even a Vlad Drkulec can stop the downward spiral that has seen the CFC alienate, in recent times, virtually all of the top players, skilled volunteers and historic sponsors that had once made chess in Canada a respectable community. Often operating outside of the word and spirit of the law, the CFC has seen the Canadian government withdraw its tax charity status.
On top of this, almost 50% of the membership has disappeared. Apparently all of Canada has only 800 adult members, a number that would horrify most chess federations. On top of this, the executive has failed to attract any skilled entrepreneurs, successful business people (Lyle Craver’s family business of producing inflatable sex dolls does not count) or celebrities to run for office.
There are no plans for a membership drive. There are no plans to update its website. There are no plans to get Saskatchewan to become an association within the Canadian chess community (Saskatchewan withdrew last year). There are no plans to revive the Canadian closed championship.
Vladimir Drkulec has a daunting and hopeless challenge before him. The recent controversy in the CFC about which FIDE candidate Canada should support has left the CFC even weaker than before. Sid Belzberg will never sponsor the CFC’s activities again. What has become clear, atleast to this observer, is that the CFC executive does NOT represent the views of the majority of the members of the Canadian chess community. The CFC executive , with the exception of Vlad Drkulec, is little more than a disgruntled group of weak. ageing club-players trying to dominate and destroy ,little by little, what several generations had built up in Canadian chess.
And that is the only thing the CFC is having success in doing.."
"And Canada–voting for the Kirsan camp in August–has just finished its annual online meeting, seeing its president Vlad Drkulec being re-elected to a second one-year mandate. I am not sure congratulations are inorder, Vlad, but congratulations anyway! (My opinion is that Vlad is a competent administrator, something that the CFC has not seen for atleast a decade)
However, Canadian chess is suffering big time, and not even a Vlad Drkulec can stop the downward spiral that has seen the CFC alienate, in recent times, virtually all of the top players, skilled volunteers and historic sponsors that had once made chess in Canada a respectable community. Often operating outside of the word and spirit of the law, the CFC has seen the Canadian government withdraw its tax charity status.
On top of this, almost 50% of the membership has disappeared. Apparently all of Canada has only 800 adult members, a number that would horrify most chess federations. On top of this, the executive has failed to attract any skilled entrepreneurs, successful business people (Lyle Craver’s family business of producing inflatable sex dolls does not count) or celebrities to run for office.
There are no plans for a membership drive. There are no plans to update its website. There are no plans to get Saskatchewan to become an association within the Canadian chess community (Saskatchewan withdrew last year). There are no plans to revive the Canadian closed championship.
Vladimir Drkulec has a daunting and hopeless challenge before him. The recent controversy in the CFC about which FIDE candidate Canada should support has left the CFC even weaker than before. Sid Belzberg will never sponsor the CFC’s activities again. What has become clear, atleast to this observer, is that the CFC executive does NOT represent the views of the majority of the members of the Canadian chess community. The CFC executive , with the exception of Vlad Drkulec, is little more than a disgruntled group of weak. ageing club-players trying to dominate and destroy ,little by little, what several generations had built up in Canadian chess.
And that is the only thing the CFC is having success in doing.."
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