FIDE Elections

[Vadim Tsypin]

Laval(Qué)-based presidential candidate rejected by the FIDE Electoral Commission shares his views frankly on the Canadian community resource.

" Racism, apartheid by European chess federations is evident: Fumey "

[Vadim Tsypin]

Statement by the Sheripov-Ncube 2022 FIDE Presidential Ticket

Team BEST MOVE: Candidates for the positions of President and Deputy President of FIDE

On behalf of the BEST MOVE Team, we, Inal Sheripov and Lewis Ncube, as confirmed candidates for the posts of President and Deputy President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), respectively, address the world chess community with the following statement:

On June 7, 2022, the FIDE Electoral Commission approved the candidature of FOUR valid FIDE Presidential Candidacies of which the BEST MOVE Ticket of Inal Sheripov and Lewis Ncube was one.

We would like to sincerely thank the Federations of Barbados, Sierra Leone, Timor Leste, Ukraine, and Zambia for their endorsement.

Additionally, we would also like to thank all the other Federations and members of the global chess community that have expressed their support for our candidature.

The BEST MOVE Team wishes to welcome the Vice President of the Togolese Chess Federation, Enyonam Sewa Fumey (popularly known as Noel) to our fold and we offer him the position of Vice President Designate to oversee the Development activities of FIDE.

Noel is a former FIDE General Secretary and former Secretary General of the African Chess Confederation.
A major part of his responsibility in this role will be the supervision of the FIDE Planning and Development Commission.

The BEST MOVE Team will move to restructure the FIDE Planning and Development Commission to “depoliticize” it and make it more focused on balanced chess developmental activities across the global chess community.
Noel will be most suited for this assignment, with the Team’s development tasks ranging from grassroots and small nation areas of development to working with marginalized communities across the global chess community.
Added to the supervision of the FIDE Planning and Development Commission, Noel will also continue working with the FIDE Social Commission, whose developmental aspects are critical to the overall global goals FIDE will focus on under the leadership of Team BEST MOVE.

We are confident that the multi-lingual Noel will be an excellent addition to the varied members of Team BEST MOVE.

Noel joins the President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, Victor Kapustin, who will head the section of our Team that will be working on concepts of FIDE reforms as another FIDE Vice President Designate.

The BEST MOVE Team continues to grow and encompass the global chess community that has bought into our vision.

As we countdown to the FIDE Presidential Elections in Chennai, we urge the global chess community to critically analyse the current state of our beautiful game and work with us to change the narrative to the FIDE we want.
Let us work towards being the solution to our needs and not to continue being part of the problem.

All those of us that have been present at political gatherings under the guise of consultative FIDE Planning and Development Commission funded meetings should use our chess acumen to read between the lines and see through the charades being presented to us.

The latest political gathering was organised under the guise of an Orientation Meeting for new Presidents of the Americas Continent on the sidelines of the start of the 2022 World School Chess Championships in Panama City.
Rather than gather newly elected Presidents, shouldn’t FIDE be organising a Conference for Chess in Schools, or a similar event tailored to add value to the knowledge of those that have sacrificed valuable resources and taken the challenge to honour the hosts with their presence at this global event and ensure the participation of their talented chess wards?

Many parents, coaches, and other Federation officials have traveled to Panama to accompany their young chess players to this global chess event for our deserving chess playing schoolchildren.

Furthermore, shouldn’t the Orientation Programme be better suited AFTER the Chennai elections?

Unless of course the orientation was on the voting aspect of the invited Presidents’ expected responsibilities at the upcoming FIDE elections in Chennai.

In any event, we urge the genuine observance of the concept of “FREE AND FAIR” elections to be practiced not only in pronouncements but in the “DEEDS” carried out by the sitting FIDE President and his Team.

Objective Federation officials that attended the recent FIDE Planning and Development Commission funded Meetings in Mexico, Kampala and Bangkok were clearly cognisant of the political motives behind the meetings.
The concerned Federation officials also raised relevant questions regarding the scheduling of these meetings just months before the FIDE elections.

In this regard, we urge restraint in the abuse of Planning and Development resources for political ends.

The countdown to the Chennai 2022 FIDE Presidential Election provides the global chess community with the opportunity to introspect and make the BEST MOVE.

VOTE TEAM BEST MOVE!

[Vadim Tsypin]

Arkady Dvorkovich:

Water does not flow under a lying stone.

Almost a whole week had passed since the four presidential tickets have been confirmed. I have been traveling to Prague, Madrid, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador. A lot of meetings.

Elections are in two months, but the work can't stop. That is why I have not been just meeting national federations, but have worked with FIDE Qualification Commission and FIDE Planning and Development Commission, inspected the venue of the Candidates tournament, opened the World School Championship, advocated for chess being included in the Olympic movement and in schools curriculum while meeting national Olympic committees, parliaments and governments.

It is somewhat odd to hear accusations that FIDE executives are campaigning as some of them travel with me. The work can't stop just in order to avoid some futile critique. Everyone is welcome to check - FIDE directors traveled relentlessly in previous years as well. We conduct and will be conducting a very much needed work.

I hope to see other candidates contributing as much now for the benefit of chess society. As well as reporting to the chess community about what they achieved before.

Meanwhile, we will work at the same pace, be it before or after elections.

[Ian Findlay]

"In conclusion, the [FIDE Electoral Commission] approved the following list of valid Presidential ticket
candidacies:
- Mr. Andrii Baryshpolets and Mr. Peter-Heine Nielsen;
- Mr. Inalbek Cheripov and Mr. Lewis Ncube;
- Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich and Mr. Anand Viswanathan;
- Mr. Bachar Kouatly and Mr. Ian Wilkinson."


The full version of the Electoral Commission report that includes its second part.

 Candidate for President Candidate for Deputy President

Name Andrii Baryshpolets Peter-Heine Nielsen
Federation Ukraine Denmark
Current position GM; GM, FST;
Senior Associate, Coach of World Champion
PricewaterhouseCoopers Magnus Carlsen

Name Inalbek Cheripov Lewis Ncube
Federation Belgium Zambia
Current position Filmmaker Continental President
for Africa

Name Arkady Dvorkovich Anand Viswanathan
Federation Russia India
Current position FIDE President GM; former World Champion;
Councillor / FIDE President's
Continental Assistant

Name Bachar Kouatly Ian Wilkinson
Federation France Jamaica
Current position GM; FIDE Deputy President FIDE Honorary Vice-President

https://fide.com/elections

I have tremendous respect for Vishy Anand as a person and as a player. This is a big surprise for me as I thought he was not done with his playing career. If Arkady Dvorkovich has really separated himself from Putin, then they would be my choice. Mr. Andrii Baryshpolets and Mr. Peter-Heine Nielsen; my second choice.

[Vadim Tsypin]

Nigel Short resigned as FIDE Vice-President.

First reactions.

[Kerry Liles]

Nigel Short resigned as FIDE Vice-President.

First reactions.

Looks like that link to "First reactions" at worldchess.com is no longer working
- maybe they took down the story to get more info?
(it is NOT a case of the link is bad - there is no news item about it at the moment)

[Vadim Tsypin]

Looks like that link to "First reactions" at worldchess.com is no longer working
- maybe they took down the story to get more info?
(it is NOT a case of the link is bad - there is no news item about it at the moment)

Thanks Kerry, you are right. Google cache still displays that link and the first text paragraphs but the article itself is gone.

Meanwhile, here's an official reaction.

[Mario Moran-Venegas]

a link to some of Nigel's Short talk on his opinion on the Virgin Islands chess organization.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=413135643723730

[Hal Bond]

I warned Nigel that he was on thin ice with the USVI. They have hosted the PanAm Seniors among other events and are one of the most active small island Federations in FIDE. Their President Margaret Murphy is a long standing friend of mine. Nigel's attacks were far beneath the office that he held.

[Vadim Tsypin]

I warned Nigel that he was on thin ice with the USVI. They have hosted the PanAm Seniors among other events and are one of the most active small island Federations in FIDE. Their President Margaret Murphy is a long standing friend of mine. Nigel's attacks were far beneath the office that he held.

Indeed, the EDC Appeal Chamber found out:

50. There can be little doubt that Mr Short’s above-described actions unjustifiably caused the game of chess, FIDE and the Federation concerned to appear in an unfavourable light and in this way, damaged their reputations.
50.1. the image of chess as a sport was tarnished in the eyes of the general public.
50.2. the image of FIDE was diminished in the eyes of the USVI Chess Federation and possibly other FIDE member federations because, overtly, it addressed the problems in the USVI Chess Federation in a manner not respectful of its own duties under the FIDE Charter.
50.3. the image of the USVI Chess Federation was severely damaged in the way they were depicted in public, a fact acknowledged by Mr Short in his appeal.

and

58. It is indeed surprising that FIDE permitted Mr Short at all to embark on his fact-finding mission to the US Virgin Islands given the fact that Mr Short was a promoter of the resolution before the FIDE Council for the suspension of the USVI Chess Federation and the evidence of existing animosity between Mr Short and Mrs Murphy. It must have been obvious that Mr Short’s objectivity was compromised from the outset, before he even put a foot on US Virgin Islands soil.

[Kerry Liles]

Maybe I missed it but it looks like Chessbase has not even mentioned Short's resignation...

[Enyonam Sewa Fumey]

We've not taken a public position. There have been discussions among the executive.

.I have spoken with grandmaster Baryshpolets on Zoom. Nice young man.

I find the Fumey campaign platform a bit problematic with a $25000 US payment to all of the development level 4 and 5 members.With the loss of Russian sponsorships how much will our dues have to go up to pay for this? If the costs were to be borne equally by all of the developmental level 1, 2 and 3 countries the increased dues would be $22,260.87 CDN at current exchange rates. If only the development level 1 and 2 countries are to be tapped the increase in dues would be $32,000 CDN.This does not seem realistic.

I have been impressed with Mr. Dvorkovich and the quality of his core team.

Thank you for your interest, dear President. Even if it is a bit late, we all know what happened to our candidacy, it is still useful to give precision on our idea of a $25000 US to level 4 and 5 federations. This support is not supposed to come from Russian sponsorships or to be borne by the more developped federations of level 1, 2 and 3. What we are proposing is to open FIDE to the world by cutting the excessive link with Russia and by doing so getting sponsorships from multinational companies. $2 millions US from those sponsorships will go to development ($25000 US to each of the 40 level 4 and 5 federations). Thank you once again for the interest in our plans.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Thank you for your interest, dear President. Even if it is a bit late, we all know what happened to our candidacy, it is still useful to give precision on our idea of a $25000 US to level 4 and 5 federations. This support is not supposed to come from Russian sponsorships or to be borne by the more developped federations of level 1, 2 and 3. What we are proposing is to open FIDE to the world by cutting the excessive link with Russia and by doing so getting sponsorships from multinational companies. $2 millions US from those sponsorships will go to development ($25000 US to each of the 40 level 4 and 5 federations). Thank you once again for the interest in our plans.

Hello Mr. Fumey,

It still seems to me that it is not so easy to get sponsorships. There is quite a bit of luck involved and you often have to be at the right place at the right time. We had a CFC fundraising officer for some years but there was not much fundraising that was accomplished. We have had some luck with the Sport Tourism Canada conferences which has put several of our most important tournaments in a position to succeed but that is usually based on a cost-benefit analysis where the economic activity generated by these tournaments justifies the investment by the community tourism bureau.

[Brad Thomson]

When I was with the CFC I worked at this and once found a bank, I think it was CIBC, that was willing to pay $10,000 toward our Canadian Closed with the stipulation that the players wear suits. The Executive said no, it never got to the players themselves.

[Neil Frarey]

FIDE is not chess. Sorry, but it is not. FIDE is a corporate construct built to manipulate the game of chess ... to serve FIDE's own selfish gains. And that's OK if you are a supporter of FIDE.

But we all know that Chess was here, and is still here, a long long time before FIDE even existed!

Let's be clear on this right here and now.

...

So to read bullshit like this ...

50. There can be little doubt that Mr Short’s above-described actions unjustifiably caused the game of chess, FIDE and the Federation concerned to appear in an unfavourable light and in this way, damaged their reputations.

... from FIDE's Ethics and Disciplinary Commission Is 100% a LIE. Complete bullshit.

Again ... FIDE is not chess.

FIDE certainly does not represent the game of chess.

FIDE represents ... its own self interest. If anything at all ... FIDE is trying to wedge its own self interest between us and the game of chess.

K?

Understand that much?

So, to bring this home for you ... to here in Canada ... chess in Canada doesn't need FIDE. And, to go even further, organized chess in Canada doesn't need FIDE. And even more so, organized and rated chess in Canada ... doesn't need FIDE. It doesn't.

And once again ... FIDE is not chess.

...

So who needs whom?