The FIDE Presidency

[Sid Belzberg]

My job is not to show you that person but to share that information with the executive of the CFC. I have a fairly credible and extremely articulate source that I have known for about a decade or slightly longer. She was a one time member of a women's olympiad team of a western European nation. I witnessed an exchange on facebook some years ago that made me wonder. When Nigel announced for the FIDE presidency I asked her about that exchange and received an explanation. There is always a social dance where individuals who wish to consort with much younger members of the opposite sex need to have some skills at discerning when such advances are inappropriate and unwelcome. Believe me this is not a can of worms which Mr. Short would want to open. My position is quite defensible. This situation could blow up as the fury is still quite apparent.

Even without this there are a significant number of red flags that you are asking us to ignore with respect to this candidate.

I don't believe you and I do not see anything you posted here that makes your position "defensible".You have yet to point out any thing close to Harvey Weinstein and instead are grasping at straws by pointing out what someone you claimed opined to you (not publicly) is inappropriate behavior that is not abuse or harrasment. I will make sure that Nigel is made aware of this and he will be the judge of that. You asked us last time to ignore much more serious red flags that included blatant corruption of FIDE by the Russian Government and supporting an ex dictator who's aids murdered an opposition journalist. Again, you expect us to ignore the same "red flags". Thie time the Canadian Govt now has it's very own version of the Magnitsky act and you can be sure that the CFC's support of those clearly destined for the sanctions list will not go ignored in addition to the blatant Russian corruption of what could be a truly great sporting organization.

[Vlad Drkulec]

I was not afraid in 2014. I am not afraid now. I don't care whether you believe me or not. My source is quite credible and if she chose to step up to the microphone would not be easily dealt with.

To be clear, the allegations are for inappropriate behaviour and not illegal behaviour.

[Sid Belzberg]

I was not afraid in 2014. I am not afraid now.

That did not serve the CFC well then and it will not now.

[Vlad Drkulec]

The CFC has done fine since then and will continue to do fine regardless of who the Fide president is.

[Sid Belzberg]

The CFC has done fine since then and will continue to do fine regardless of who the Fide president is.

Losing the support of major American sponsors of chess was not a good thing for the CFC. What happened to FIDE was not good for any chess federations after 2014. The abuse, and subsequent loss of the first Canadian candidate for the World Championship in years at the hands of FIDE under Kirsan did not serve the CFC well. I yield the last glib stupid statement to you Vlad.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Losing the support of major American sponsors of chess was not a good thing for the CFC.

We never had the support of major American sponsors of chess so we lost nothing. I was never into hero worship like you apparently are and I was never of the opinion that some ability in chess automatically qualified someone to lead despite all evidence to the contrary that he was a poor leader.

Kirsan has withdrawn from the race. You should be happy.

[Sid Belzberg]

We never had the support of major American sponsors of chess so we lost nothing. I was never into hero worship like you apparently are and I was never of the opinion that some ability in chess automatically qualified someone to lead despite all evidence to the contrary that he was a poor leader.

Kirsan has withdrawn from the race. You should be happy.

On the contrary Vlad, you took it on yourself to reject offers of American Sponsorship right here on chesstalk. As far as my motivations are concerned as to who my colleagues are "hero worship" does not figure into it. You are now posting falsehoods about me in addition to Nigel as well as Garry. This needs to stop. As a former director of the Kasparov Chess Foundation I can say that back then and now Kasparov has excellent leadership qualities. By the way anything would have better then Kirsan as it turned out. Unlike Kirsan ,Garry brought in tens of millions of dollars of legitimate Western sponsorship.

Despite all the evidence presented to you about Kirsan you ignored it and the CFC suffered the consequences as did the rest of the chess playing community around the world.

You legitimized Kirsan and that was very helpful to him to convince other federations to follow suit once he had the support of a then reputable organization like the CFC.

[Ed Seedhouse]

I was not afraid in 2014. I am not afraid now.

Pity. Myself, I am often afraid, but somehow I manage to get through it without having to pretend it isn't there. I don't think you could be a supporter of Trump without actually being very afraid, since fear is the currency he trades in. Maybe if you'd admit your fears you could make better decisions.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Pity. Myself, I am often afraid,

This is very clear but it is no way to live.

[Vlad Drkulec]

On the contrary Vlad, you took it on yourself to reject offers of American Sponsorship right here on chesstalk. As far as my motivations are concerned as to who my colleagues are "hero worship" does not figure into it. You are now posting falsehoods about me in addition to Nigel as well as Garry. This needs to stop. As a former director of the Kasparov Chess Foundation I can say that back then and now Kasparov has excellent leadership qualities. By the way anything would have better then Kirsan as it turned out. Unlike Kirsan ,Garry brought in tens of millions of dollars of legitimate Western sponsorship.

Despite all the evidence presented to you about Kirsan you ignored it and the CFC suffered the consequences as did the rest of the chess playing community around the world.

You legitimized Kirsan and that was very helpful to him to convince other federations to follow suit once he had the support of a then reputable organization like the CFC.

Quit trying to relitigate the 2014 election. Its done and based on the information I had then and perhaps even now I wouldn't have done anything differently beyond getting the FIDE tournaments off the ground more quickly.

[Sid Belzberg]

Quit trying to relitigate the 2014 election. Its done and based on the information I had then and perhaps even now I wouldn't have done anything differently beyond getting the FIDE tournaments off the ground more quickly.

Vlad initially the reason you gave here on chesstalk about Kirsan/FIDE not honoring its deal to pay out the balance 60K owing out of the 80K promised was that FIDE had financial difficulties and the CFC was unsure about taking money on account of the US sanctions . At the time readers here were told further disclosure would be given after you discussed the situation with your executive. This disclosure never happened here on chesstalk. Last year you changed your story shifting the blame to the CFC/organizers that it did not get its tournaments organized on time. Hal Bond denied this when you first said it on Chesstalk saying the problem was that the funds never came, period.
Here you go again with the same lame excuse story that as I said above even Hal Bond seemed to suggest here on chesstalk is untrue. Your own words do not serve you well! Anyone reading this would have serious reservations about your credibility and your motivation to try to change the narrative with inconsistent stories and keep posting this same and discredited story from your very own executive member.

I can tell you that I have at least one email from some time ago involving someone very close with the FIDE brass who claims he contacted them and he stated to me that he got a very different version of what transpired then what you post about here. At the time I did not give much credence to that email but now I do. I believe you that you would have "not have done anything differently"!

[Ed Seedhouse]

This is very clear but it is no way to live.

You are afraid. We are all afraid. It is how we deal with fear that makes the difference. Denying it, or any of our emotions for that matter, leads to people like you, unfortunately for the rest of us.

[Vlad Drkulec]

You are afraid. We are all afraid. It is how we deal with fear that makes the difference. Denying it, or any of our emotions for that matter, leads to people like you, unfortunately for the rest of us.

You can tell yourself that to make your situation more palatable but not everyone is afraid. There are a number of paths to take where you need not be afraid. Most fear is the result of an illusion accepted as fact.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Sid, you are just being silly. I am busy playing in a tournament (the Canadian Open). The only reason I am posting now is because my opponent from the second round didn't show up. Weave your conspiracy theories. They don't affect me or the bulk of the CFC members. I am an unpaid volunteer doing my best. My administration has been the most open and transparent one in CFC history. We explain our decisions and our reasoning with most rational people able to accept that once decisions are made that it is done.

[Ed Seedhouse]

You can tell yourself that to make your situation more palatable but not everyone is afraid.

You can tell yourself that to make your situation more palatable but everyone is afraid. If you have no fear you have no humanity.

Hmm ... explains a lot.