Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

[Caesar Posylek]

What is your opinion?
From Facebook today.

Anton Kovalyov
23 mins ·
I wanted to wait a little till I calm down, but I'm tired of seeing lies everywhere. So here's what happened:
The issue were not the shorts but how I was treated. I came to the game and was approached by the arbiter asking me to change (first time). I told him that I don't have pants with me, and then I noticed that I was playing black instead of white, which came as a surprise for me and asked him to check that. He and the other arbiters checked and confirmed to me that I'm playing with black, we talked a little and everything was fine. Then came Zurab, he was very agressive, yelling at me and using the racial slur "gypsy" to insult me, apart from mentioning several times that I will be punished by FIDE. I told him that I had asked before at the previous world cup if what I was wearing was OK and I was told by somebody from the organization that yes. Zurab, in a prepotent way, said he doesn't care, he's the organizer now. At this point I was really angry but tried not to do anything stupid, and asked him why he was so rude to me, and he said because I'm a gypsy.
So imagine this, the round is about to start, I'm being bullied by the organizer of the tournament, being assured that I will be punished by FIDE, yelled at and racially insulted. What would you do in my situation? I think many people would have punched this person in the face or at least insulted him. I decided to leave.
Worth pointing out, I didn't take any pants with me because I gained some weight and they were to tight. If the organization of the tournament would have warned me sooner I would have taken a cab to the mall and bought pants, without any problems whatsoever, but instead I was treated like garbage. I was too stressed out by the way I was treated and the threats of being punished by FIDE no matter what I do, so I choose to leave before I do anything stupid.
Another point worth pointing out, Zurab never asked me to go and change, the conversation consisted of threats, insults, and agressive behavior from Zurab. He was clearly provoking me.
I will not appeal anything. I am disgusted by this type of people. I don't want the money. I'm coming back home.

[Caesar Posylek]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

Alexei Shirov: Zura Azmaiparashvili clearly violated the rules of fair play, at least those that we (him included) were trying to play under when you were beginning to play the game. I am definitely on your side, Anton. I only hope you won't leave chess completely, the strong GMs with independent thinking and attitude are rare these days and are definitely needed.

[Stephen Humphreys]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

From the Wikipedia article on Azmaiparashvili:

"Azmaiparashvili had been criticized earlier in 2004 over arrangements for the 2004 Women's World Chess Championship when female Georgian players Lela Javakhishvili and Ana Matnadze accused him of behaving "in a hostile and intimidating manner, using inappropriate and vulgar language and bringing to tears our mothers".[7]

His behaviour this morning is consistent with this description.

The whole article is worth reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zurab_Azmaiparashvili

[Caesar Posylek]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

What are the Canadian Chess Federation's opinion and undertaking action to this situation? Would we like to know that?
Please to watch all those opinions from around the world on this topic, on the link, as follow: https://www.facebook.com/anton.koval...04975950241035

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

What are the Canadian Chess Federation's opinion and undertaking action to this situation? Would we like to know that?
Please to watch all those opinions from around the world on this topic, on the link as follow: https://www.facebook.com/anton.koval...04975950241035

What is your opinion?
From Facebook today.

Anton Kovalyov
23 mins ·
I wanted to wait a little till I calm down, but I'm tired of seeing lies everywhere. So here's what happened:
The issue were not the shorts but how I was treated. I came to the game and was approached by the arbiter asking me to change (first time). I told him that I don't have pants with me, and then I noticed that I was playing black instead of white, which came as a surprise for me and asked him to check that. He and the other arbiters checked and confirmed to me that I'm playing with black, we talked a little and everything was fine. Then came Zurab, he was very agressive, yelling at me and using the racial slur "gypsy" to insult me, apart from mentioning several times that I will be punished by FIDE. I told him that I had asked before at the previous world cup if what I was wearing was OK and I was told by somebody from the organization that yes. Zurab, in a prepotent way, said he doesn't care, he's the organizer now. At this point I was really angry but tried not to do anything stupid, and asked him why he was so rude to me, and he said because I'm a gypsy.
So imagine this, the round is about to start, I'm being bullied by the organizer of the tournament, being assured that I will be punished by FIDE, yelled at and racially insulted. What would you do in my situation? I think many people would have punched this person in the face or at least insulted him. I decided to leave.
Worth pointing out, I didn't take any pants with me because I gained some weight and they were to tight. If the organizationof the tournament would have warned me sooner I would have taken a cab to the mall and bought pants, without any problems whatsoever, but instead I was treated like garbage. I was too stressed out by the way I was treated and the threats of being punished by FIDE no matter what I do, so I choose to leave before I do anything stupid.
Another point worth pointing out, Zurab never asked me to go and change, the conversation consisted of threats, insults, and agressive behavior from Zurab. He was clearly provoking me.
I will not appeal anything. I am disgusted by this type of people. I don't want the money. I'm coming back home.

Here is an interesting piece about Zurab's history, he is a thug just like his boss Kirsan. I absolutely believe every word Anton said is true. The CFC and other federations supported a known thug (who naturally has other thugs on his team) these are the horrible consequences that chess fans and players now deal with,... the fall out from chess federations idiotic support of thugs.
http://danailov-for-president.com/?p=3339

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

Alexei Shirov: Zura Azmaiparashvili clearly violated the rules of fair play, at least those that we (him included) were trying to play under when you were beginning to play the game. I am definitely on your side, Anton. I only hope you won't leave chess completely, the strong GMs with independent thinking and attitude are rare these days and are definitely needed.

I agree. I hope Anton is able to get past this. FIDE seems to be French for "Assholes that run International Chess".
For a LONG time I've thought IllusionOf is a thug and a crook and most of his inner circle are morons. Prime example is Azmaiparashvili.
I cannot find a bigger example of a jackass except perhaps Trump.

I also hope the CFC grows some balls and goes after these cretins, but I doubt that will happen. I want nothing to do with FIDE and it
looks like the CFC by extension (still cannot believe the Sambuev incident - just ridiculous).

[Caesar Posylek]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

World Cup shocker, - GM. Anton Kovalyov loses his game without making a move after it was found he hadn't complied with the dress code! See the link: https://chess24.com/…/li…/tbilisi-fi...up-2017/3/12/1

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

I agree. I hope Anton is able to get past this. FIDE seems to be French for "Assholes that run International Chess".
For a LONG time I've thought IllusionOf is a thug and a crook and most of his inner circle are morons. Prime example is Azmaiparashvili.
I cannot find a bigger example of a jackass except perhaps Trump.

I also hope the CFC grows some balls and goes after these cretins, but I doubt that will happen. I want nothing to do with FIDE and it
looks like the CFC by extension (still cannot believe the Sambuev incident - just ridiculous).

Agree with you on all your points, Kerry. People need to realize the CFC is an extension of an evil organization. I also believe Anton's version of events, because what he describes is exactly how I would expect a member of that organization to behave. However, if Anton does have plans to appeal, it would be advisable for him to have witnesses to the treatment he describes.

Perhaps organizers are now not only going to have to stock extra Queens, but extra pairs of pants????

Drkulec says the regulations permit Bermuda shorts.... perhaps there is fine print that says "only for matches played in Bermuda" ???

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

Seriously... just wear a pair of pants.

If you want to be a pro, dress like a pro.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

World Cup shocker, - GM. Anton Kovalyov loses his game without making a move after it was found he hadn't complied with the dress code! See the link: https://chess24.com/…/li…/tbilisi-fi...up-2017/3/12/1

It seems that link does not work.

[Caesar Posylek]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

It seems that link does not work.

It was working several minutes ago! I checked that out then personally. No idea what wrong has happened to that.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

Seriously... just wear a pair of pants.

If you want to be a pro, dress like a pro.

There is much more to this than the discussion about shorts (Bermuda or otherwise). Anton's treatment at the hands of Azmairashvili is inexcusable. I think his decision to bag the tournament is not a good decision but understandable nevertheless given the absolutely hostile encounter with FIDE's chief moron. I notice that several of the players are not exactly dressed for a fancy dinner party and nothing much is said about that. The rules are made up along the way (sort of like a FIDE election actually).

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

It's the World f-ing Cup and you can't even bother putting on a pair of pants? And then you'll complain there's not enough money in chess? Seriously?

Tiger Woods would be thrown out of a tournament if he didn't comply with the dress code.

[David Ottosen]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

What do I think? I couldn't be less surprised that FIDE acted in the most ridiculous way possible. Maybe Anton should have dressed more formally, but this is the kind of thing that is very easy to handle. How it escalates to this is typical FIDE bungling.

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: Kovaliov playng in the World's Cup in Giorgia

It's the World f-ing Cup and you can't even bother putting on a pair of pants? And then you'll complain there's not enough money in chess? Seriously?

Tiger Woods would be thrown out of a tournament if he didn't comply with the dress code.

In golf there actually is a formal dress code, not just whatever the tournament organizer feels like. It's fine to have a dress code, and I think there should be one, but it should be transparent and consistently enforced. If you look at the pictures of the other players, some are wearing tracksuits, jeans, hoodies, t-shirts, and so on. Why should a pair of shorts be that big a deal? It's not like Kovalyov had a disheveled appearance or something - he was just dressed casually as were many of the other players.