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Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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---- Nous avons besoin d'un traduction français!
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Legend had it, when I was a kid, that if you repeated a person’s name three times while looking in a mirror, that person would appear.
This anecdote from the Net:
It is "bloody mary".
I used to do that when I was a kid.
It’s just a joke though. The trick is, you dare some kid to say "bloody mary" three times in the mirror, with the lights off, and some woman is supposed to appear in the mirror.
The funny part is when you make them do it alone.
You and your friends go outside and bang on the windows after they say it.
In an episode of South Park, Butters repeats the name of the notorious Biggy Smalls three times in his bathroom mirror and Biggy appears beside him shooting his pistol.
We must, therefore, warn against repeating Kirsan’s full name three times in front of the mirror. Anything could happen.
Last edited by Wayne Komer; Tuesday, 28th March, 2017, 03:39 PM.
Except worse because you can't solve the problem by getting new shoes.
Needless to say Garry Kasparov with the full backing of Sinquefeld was a perfectly good set of new shoes and was the answer but Putin's corruption ruled the day. Chess in Canada had an opportunity to be part of something great even if Garry lost. Very sad for such a great game. Here is an article in the Washington Post that shows how the world views chess today. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ampht...s-resignation/
Needless to say Garry Kasparov with the full backing of Sinquefeld was a perfectly good set of new shoes and was the answer but Putin's corruption ruled the day. Chess in Canada had an opportunity to be part of something great even if Garry lost. Very sad for such a great game. Here is an article in the Washington Post that shows how the world views chess today. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ampht...s-resignation/
Really, a very funny article. About Kirsan's background: he used to "govern the Russian Republic of Kalmykia in Siberia". I did not check, but the distance between Kalmykia and Siberia is similar to the distance between California and Florida.
Indeed, it very possible that Kirsan's period in FIDE is over. Garry Kasparov has a good chance to finally become a FIDE president. Personally, I would prefer everyone else, but not Garry.
Really, a very funny article. About Kirsan's background: he used to "govern the Russian Republic of Kalmykia in Siberia". I did not check, but the distance between Kalmykia and Siberia is similar to the distance between California and Florida.
lol. There's no need to fact check wrt articles about Russia these days. Any fabrication will do. If anyone contradicts the author, then they just yell "Russian stooges" and that takes the place of doing research. But the Washington Post getting this wrong? You'd think they might know something about large distances, being in the USA and all. A similar story follows.
A family member from England phoned once to ask a favour of their Canadian relatives on Vancouver Island. "Could you pick up so-and-so at the airport? It would be a great help."
"Oh, and what are the particulars?"
"They're arriving at Halifax airport at 5 p.m., local time, on Thursday the 10th."
"Halifax, Nova Scotia? Why don't you pick them up? You're closer."
Click.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
At no point in time during the FIDE Presidential Board meeting in Athens, did any member of the Board raise a question or request for you to resign. On the contrary, you were offering a number of times to resign and at the end of the Presidential Board, in an emotional state of mind, you announced to the Board members present “I resign”, repeating this a further two times.
One can only conclude that you feel it may be better to unfairly blame “hackers” or the US Chess Federation or Gary Kasparov or other members of the Presidential Board with these allegations, so that you may conveniently mislead the Russian Chess Federation, national Federations around the world and the media.
I would like to kindly remind you that this situation is a result of your own actions. You were advised several times before and during the meeting, by several board members present that the discussion was wrong, and that the FIDE Presidential Board should not serve for you to try to resolve personal issues.
It is also very unfair to attack and insult the FIDE executive director Nigel Freeman by blaming him that he is spreading false rumours. Especially since you know very well that Nigel has only published the real facts, together with your replies.
In reference to your media statements about an attempted “coup”, “impeachment” or “calls for your resignation”, I would like to stress clearly that such allegations are not true and this can be easily proven by the recorded tape minutes of the meeting.
I trust that his letter will help put the whole matter into a clearer perspective.
Statement of the ECU Continental President for Europe, Zurab Azmaiparashvili
European Chess Union
29 March, 2017
To: All European National Federations
Dear Colleagues,
I need to comment on the latest negative events that occurred in FIDE.
First of all, I would like to refer to the results, which, unfortunately, were overridden by all the turmoil regarding the Kirsan Ilyumzhinov resignation.
As you know, FIDE had unpleasant financial results in 2015. Over the last year FIDE administration, especially it’s treasurer has worked extremely successfully to improve FIDE’s financial situation up to 900 000 US dollars in 2016.
This positive development gave FIDE the means to make an important decision – that the prize fund recent Women’s World Chess Championship will be paid from FIDE’s budget. Unfortunately, this became inevitable after Chess Federation of I. R. of Iran failed to transfer the required sum for the prize fund. However, the FIDE Presidential Board gave a final two-week notice to Iranian Chess Federation to pay the agreed amount to FIDE. If not the Iranian Chess Federation will be suspended and all the services will be frozen.
Now let me respond to the information, which was fast spread in the media.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that despite the US Department of the Treasury sanctions against FIDE president in November 2015, I cannot recall even one occurrence of FIDE Presidential Board demanding the resignation of FIDE president. Everything this makes it harder and harder every day for FIDE to work efficiently and herewith puts potential and not only potential sponsors off. Instead, the Presidential Board gave to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov enough time to defend himself in front of US authorities.
It is obvious that abovementioned events resulted in FIDE management crisis, which, in my opinion, was the direct outcome of Kirsan Illyumzhinov’s hesitant position. This was notable during the Presidential Board Meeting when he couple of times mentioned his intention to resign. It was only at the end of Presidential Board Meeting when FIDE president, under strong emotional stress, verbally confirmed his resignation 3 times.
On my part, I would like to add that the Board has never shown disrespect towards FIDE president and all the fuss and rumors surrounding the subject are to be discussed during FIDE Presidential Board extraordinary meeting to resolve the matter. To clarify also that the misleading scenario appeared in the media claiming that US chess federation or Americans are behind all this. I assure you these are groundless claims.
To conclude, I believe the issue will be solved during the next upcoming Presidential Board meeting.
To paraphrase Samuel Clemens, the rumours of Kirsan's resignation were greatly exaggerated.
There is a paragraph that states that only a president can call a meeting. However, he delegated the power of a president to a vice-president when troubles with the US department started. Unless it was officially revoked (don't recall that)
Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s decision to withdraw from any legal, financial and business operations of FIDE is to enable him to concentrate on clearing the situation with the US Department of the Treasury.
Until further notice, under section A.9.5 of the FIDE Statutes, if the President: “duly authorises, then he can be represented by the Deputy President who shall exercise the powers of the President. The Deputy President can thus represent FIDE officially and can solely sign for FIDE.” Therefore Mr. Makropoulos will now be exercising these powers and representing FIDE officially.
Re: the rumours of Kirsan Nikolayevich's resignation were greatly exaggerated ...
I think a second big story here is the fact that the Iranian organizers of the Women's World Championship have not paid their bill. Everyone had to hold their noses and allow these people to hold the tournament and derive propaganda points by forcing all the foreigners to follow their custom and then they didn't pay their bills. I think it should be a cold day in hell before they are allowed to hold any other FIDE event or even participate in another event.
In a letter from Kirsan to All National Chess Federations, with the FIDE letterhead and dated today, he reiterates his point of view:
There is no reason to call an extraordinary meeting as I have neither intended nor have declared to resign. In addition, this way of proceeding is not in conformity with FIDE Statutes as only the President of FIDE can call an extraordinary Presidential Board meeting. I have been elected as the President of FIDE and have not delegated my powers regarding the internal work and organisation of FIDE. Indeed, I delegated my powers only with regard to external legal, financial and business operations of FIDE. Thus, any meeting that might take place further to this “call” will be irregular and the decisions that might be taken at such a meeting will not be valid.
The reply from FIDE came today as well:
FIDE
Athens, 3 April 2017
To the FIDE Presidential Board members
All National Federations
Dear chess friends,
You attention is kindly drawn to the letter that Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has sent dated 3rd April 2017, whereby he claims that he has exclusive rights to call Presidential Board meetings. The Presidential Board is informed that the FIDE lawyers were instructed in this matter and have advised that Mr. Ilyumzhinov delegated all legal and administrative duties of FIDE to the Deputy President in the Presidential Board held in Athens in December 2015. Mr. Nigel Freeman has repeatedly advised Mr. Ilyumzhinov of this, including sending him a copy of the FIDE lawyers’ email (a copy of which is attached for your information).
It is clear that this matter has become extremely serious and critical and that the forthcoming Presidential Board will review all the back ground of these developments as well as determining the best way forward for FIDE.
Yours sincerely,
Georgios Makropoulos
FIDE Deputy President
Attachment:
Presidential Board
It was announced on 6 December that Kirsan would “withdraw from any legal, financial and business operations of FIDE until such time as Mr. Ilyumzhinov is removed from the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanction list”.
The statement published on FIDE website further exposed as follows: “Until further notice, under section A.9.5. of the FIDE Statues, if the President: “duly authorises, then he can be represented by the Deputy President, who shall exercise the powers of the President. The Deputy President can thus represent FIDE officially and can solely sign for FIDE.” Therefore Mr. Makropoulos will now be exercising these powers and representing FIDE officially”.
Based on the foregoing, Makro is in our view entitled to convene an Extraordinary Presidential meeting where the competence to convene the Presidential Boards since the 6 December 2015 has in practice remained in Kirsan’s hands.
We remain at your disposal should you need any further information
Best regards,
Jean-Marc Reymond, av.
Docteur en droit, avocat
LL.M. (King’s College London)
_________
On Kirsan’s Twitter site, there is an announcement that shows that he is still carrying out his duties:
Ilyumzhinov meets with the President of Transnistria
The international chess tournament “Friendship Cup” was held in the Palace of the Republic (Tiraspol), which was visited by the delegation of FIDE led..
even though it was dated April 1, it appears to be genuine. Does anyone have any idea where Transnistria is?
TRANSNISTRIA IS A thin strip of land wedged between Moldova and Ukraine. It is home to more than 500,000 people and has a parliamentary government, a standing army, and its own currency. It has all the trappings of an independent nation—but isn’t.
Oh sure, it declared independence from Moldova in 1990 and fought a war two years later. And it’s got a constitution and a flag and even a coat of arms. But you won’t find it on many maps, and not a single member of the United Nations recognizes its existence.
But the people of Transnistria do not care. They cling tenaciously to a claim of statehood and their love for all things Russian.
________
FIDE is falling apart all around him and Kirsan and his delegation visit Transnistria. I shall leave it to others to consider the symbolism here.
I think a second big story here is the fact that the Iranian organizers of the Women's World Championship have not paid their bill. Everyone had to hold their noses and allow these people to hold the tournament and derive propaganda points by forcing all the foreigners to follow their custom and then they didn't pay their bills. I think it should be a cold day in hell before they are allowed to hold any other FIDE event or even participate in another event.
Mr. Berik Balgabaev twitted that the reason for Iran not paying their bills is simple..sanctions.
...I have heard that excuse before.
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