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I presume the decision will be taken at the AGM of the incoming governors of the CFC in Toronto July 13. The governors could 1) instruct Canada's FIDE delegate to vote for one slate; 2) refer the decision to the executive' or 3) leave the decision to our FIDE delegate. Personally, I would favour the first option.
We will not know until the end of July whether there is in fact a contest. Mr Karpov, for whose chess career I have the utmost respect, has failed to get the nomination from his own federation (which would appear, as Jonathan Berry points out, to be a requirement). His campaign appears to have stalled, with only a handful of countries supporting his slate.
On the other hand, he has successfully capitalized on the anti-Kirsan sentiments of the Americans, in particular, to generate funding and media attention. His endorsement by Kasparov and Short is interesting but does not seem to have swayed a lot of votes among the 170 or so members of FIDE.
Now the slates have been announced, the comparisons are interesting and significant. Contrary to popular belief, in recent years the president has been something of a figurehead and one would have every reason to expect this to continue under either Kirsan or Karpov. The key decision makers are the deputy president, the general secretary and the treasurer. On the Karpov ticket, these slots are to be taken respectively by Richard Conn, Kasparov's American lawyer (who specializes almost exclusively in Russian financial plays), Majid of Malaysia and a former bank chairman (Kapustinov) from Ukraine. On the incumbent Kirsan ticket, you have the much unloved (at least by elite players) Makropoulis of Greece, Ignatius Leong of Singapore and the highly regarded Nigel Freeman of Bermuda. It is important to note that the Kirsan slate has a track record, which over the past four years is generally regarded to have been much improved. The Karpov slate is very much an unknown quantity.
I have little knowledge of or patience for international (or for that matter, Canadian) chess politics. I have met with Anatoly Karpov over dinner and found him to be charming and insightful. I know Nigel Short well and enjoy his company, not to mention the spectacular chess he continues to play. As for Nigel Freeman, I know him well and have the highest regard for his integrity and organizational skills.
If there is a contest, it will be an interesting discussion at the AGM.
Gordon Ritchie
His campaign appears to have stalled, with only a handful of countries supporting his slate.
This perception real or not, should not influence how the CFC votes, unless there is a will to to be on the winning side which is widespread among the common voter.
On the other hand, he has successfully capitalized on the anti-Kirsan sentiments of the Americans, in particular, to generate funding and media attention. His endorsement by Kasparov and Short is interesting but does not seem to have swayed a lot of votes among the 170 or so members of FIDE.
This is not surprising for Federations with only a handful of members and no elite to speak of. They care much more about gifts, which is a Kirsan specialty
It is important to note that the Kirsan slate has a track record, which over the past four years is generally regarded to have been much improved.
"Generally regarded much improved" by whom ? Without his fat checkbook, Kirsan would have been kicked out a long time ago. For him, chess is simply a pasttime (he says so himself) for which he is willing to spend a lot a dubiously earned money. For some billionnaires, it is horses, yachts or paintings... For him it is chess. People buying votes don't get mine.
As for Nigel Freeman, I know him well and have the highest regard for his integrity and organizational skills.
His only apparent but significant fault is to be on Kirsan's team. Nobody is perfect. :)
Not that I am crazy about Karpov's ticket. However the fact that it is "unknown quantity" appears to me to be a plus here, in a context that a change, which of course always involve some risk, appears more desirable than more of the same.
Karpov's run for FIDE President is OK, but why Kasparov is endorsing him? This is when politics come into play. Kasparov positioned himself since almost his birth as an anti Karpov and anti-communist, while Karpov has always been portreyed as a "Soviet".
Then, there is the deputy-presindent candidate upon which we do not know much, except that he is a lawyer (!!) and has a rating of about 1900.
It will be nice to have a third ticket to choose from!
Here is an edited version of the letter sent by Karpov's lawyer requesting for documents and challenging Ilyumzhinov ticket.
July 2, 2010
Re: 2010 FIDE Elections – Request for Removal of False Statements on FIDE Website and Disclosure of Documents Supporting Nominations Announced on Website
Dear Mr. Jarett:
We represent the Presidential ticket of Anatoly Karpov in connection with the 2010 elections being held by the FIDE for the position of FIDE President and other offices. We write to you concerning FIDE’s announcement on its website, on June 29, 2010, of the submission by two Presidential tickets of their candidacy for the elections, as well as the nomination of several candidates for the Continental President positions.
As explained below, we believe that this announcement raises serious doubts as to the care and independence with which the 2010 election process is being conducted by FIDE. In view thereof, we request that you do the following:
(i) Remove immediately from your website the conclusory and one-sided statements regarding the Russian Chess Federation’s nomination, as these statements provide an incorrect and biased picture that hurts our client’s campaign.
(ii) Provide us by close of business on Tuesday, July 6 with copies of the documentation supporting Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s nomination by Argentina and Mexico, Mrs. Beatriz Marinello’s nomination by Chile and Brazil, and all other nominations of individuals running on Presidential tickets and for the office of Continental President.
The Nomination of the Russian Chess Federation
The announcement contains the following paragraph regarding the Russian Chess Federation (“RCF”)’s nominee: “Concerning the FIDE elections, the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) informed FIDE on 28 June 2010 that the Supervisory Board of the RCF, during its meeting of 28 June, confirmed the letter of its Chairman Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich to FIDE on 21 April, nominating Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as Russia’s candidate for the office of FIDE President 2010-2014. Furthermore, the RCF informed FIDE that the letter sent by Mr. Alexander Bakh on 23 June is not valid on nominating a candidacy from the Russian Chess Federation. Attached are all the relevant documents as sent by the RCF.” At the bottom of the webpage, you provided links to copies of five documents in Russian and English which purport to support the validity of Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s nomination by the RCF.
First, we find it remarkable that FIDE made these conclusory and one-sided statements regarding the RCF nomination on its website, despite stating on the same webpage that “FIDE is examining the validity of all candidacies submitted within the deadline of 28 June and will ratify the list of candidates during its Presidential Board meeting in Tromso, 24-25 July.”
Second, we also find it strange, to say the least, that FIDE disclosed the correspondence supporting Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s claim to the RCF’s nomination, but not that supporting Mr. Karpov’s claim to the nomination. Our clients contest that Mr. Ilyumzhinov, the current President of FIDE, has been validly nominated by Russia as its candidate for the 2010 election.
In fact, the RCF nominated Mr. Anatoly Karpov at its May 14, 2010 meeting at its headquarters in Moscow, by a quorum and majority vote of the members of the Supervisory Board of the RCF. The meeting and vote are well documented, including by a video recording available on Mr. Karpov’s campaign website.
As a result, the Chairman of the Management Board of the RCF, Alexander Bakh, informed FIDE by letters dated May 21 and June 23 that the RCF had nominated Mr. Karpov for the office of FIDE President. Mr. Bakh enclosed with his May 21 letter the minutes of the May 14, 2010 meeting documenting Mr. Karpov’s nomination. Thus, clear and convincing evidence of Mr. Karpov’s nomination by the RCF has been provided to FIDE. Astoundingly, however, neither of Mr. Bakh’s letters was posted on the FIDE website. Nor were the minutes of the May 14, 2010 meeting evidencing the nomination, which were
enclosed with Mr. Bakh’s May 21 letter. Given Mr. Bakh’s position at the RCF, these letters and meeting minutes cast serious doubt on Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s claim that he has been validly nominated by the RCF for the position of President of FIDE. As FIDE chose to list the letters supporting Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s claim to the RCF nomination, independence, fairness and
transparency demand that the letters supporting Mr. Karpov’s claim to that nomination also be listed. FIDE’s failure to do this is a grave violation of its duty to act with impartiality.
Third, you write that “the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) informed FIDE on 28 June 2010 that the Supervisory Board of the RCF, during its meeting of 28 June, confirmed the letter of its Chairman Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich to FIDE on 21 April, nominating Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as Russia’s candidate for the office of FIDE President 2010-2014.” But, upon a careful review of the minutes of this meeting posted on the webpage, such confirmation cannot be found. In fact, the minutes do not even mention the FIDE 2010 elections or the RCF’s nomination for these elections. This is strong evidence that the matter was not discussed at the meeting. Thus, the documentation listed on FIDE’s website in support of Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s claim to the RCF nomination does not, in reality, support such a claim. Nor does it evidence a valid withdrawal of
the earlier nomination of Mr. Karpov. There is only a letter from Mr. Dvorkovich unilaterally nominating Mr. Ilyumzhinov. This is not a valid nomination. Indeed, Ilya Levitov, the individual ostensibly chosen by Mr. Dvorkovich to replace Mr. Bakh as Chairman of the RCF’s Management Board as of July 10, 2010, has stated in an on-line chess discussion forum called ChessPro.ru that “the information on the FIDE site is incorrect. The Supervisory Board did not at all discuss the question of FIDE elections [at its 28 June 2010 meeting].”
Alleged Nomination of Mr. Ilyumzhinov by Argentina and Mexico, and of Beatriz Marinello by Chile and Brazil
You also state in your website announcement that Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has been nominated for the office of President by the chess federations of (in addition to the RCF) Argentina and Mexico, and that Mrs. Beatriz Marinello, a candidate for Vice President on Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s ticket, has been nominated by the federations of Chile and Brazil. Our clients question the validity of these nominations. As you know, Article 1.2 of the FIDE Electoral Regulations provides that, to be able to be nominated by a federation for the Presidential ticket, a candidate must “have been a member of [the] federation at least one year before the General Assembly.” Despite providing extensive and
detailed information about his biography, awards, elections and involvement with chess, neither Mr. Ilyumzhimov’s official campaign CV nor his CV as President of the Republic of Kalmykia list any membership in the chess federations of Mexico or Argentina. In Ms. Marinello’s case, a review of the Brazilian Chess Confederation website reveals that she is not a member of this organization at all: her name is not in the database of players registered with the federation that is listed on the federation’s website. Thus, Mrs. Marinello’s ostensible nomination from Brazil appears to violate the requirement of Article 1.2. Additionally, we have reason to believe that
the Chilean chess federation was not a member federation of FIDE in good standing at the time of Ms. Marinello’s alleged nomination and could not therefore act as a nominating federation. It is thus no surprise that Ms Marinello’s official campaign resume, while providing copious detail about her chess degrees and titles, awards, and chess career history, offers no hint of her involvement with or membership in the chess federations of the two counties – Brazil and Chile – which have allegedly nominated her to run on Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s Presidential ticket. As a result, there is a serious question as to whether Mr. Ilyumzhinov has been a member of the Mexico or Argentina federation, and Ms. Marinello of the Chile and Brazil federations, for at
least one year before the General Assembly. If Ms. Marinello’s nominations are invalid, as they appear to be, then Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s ticket must be disqualified under the requirement of FIDE Electoral Handbook Chapter 14, Article 1.1 that “at least one” member of a Presidential ticket must be a woman.
As shown above, FIDE’s June 29, 2010 announcement raises serious doubts as to the care and independence with which the 2010 election process is being conducted. Because Mr. Ilyumzhinov is the acting President of FIDE, there is a strong appearance that FIDE is conducting the elections in a manner so as to aid its current President’s reelection. Such conduct
is in violation of the duty of care that FIDE owes all its members.
**********
The letter mentions that FIDE declined to reserve a block of hotel rooms for the Karpov delegation to Khanty-Mansyuk!
In some struggles, you need to match the opposition not only blow for blow, but scoundrel for scoundrel.
As predicted, the nomination fight is a great source of entertainment.
Karpov's destiny may not be to become FIDE president, but he may turn out to be the one who will show once and for all (to the ever sceptics and naives) how FIDE under Ilioumzhinov has been, and is corrupted to the bone. I have known it since Kirsan's first election during the 1996 Yerevan Olympiad (and even before since that he was Campomanes' choice to replace him...). When a guy provides a large bag of gifts to each and every olympiad participant (as he did I believe in other olympiads), someone with his eyes open can only imagine how much this guy wants to win and to what lenght he is willing to go to have his way.
For Kirsan, FIDE and chess are toys, it must never be forgotten.
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