Video report: Yazici and Danailov running for ECU President

by ChessBase
3/14/2010 – So far two candidates have declared their intention to run for President of the European Chess Union: the President of the Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici, and the Bulgarian IM and manager Silvio Danailov. GM Robert Fontaine from Europe Echecs spoke to both candidates. Danailov also revealed that at the World Championship match against Anand Topalov will not accept or offer draws.

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Video interview conducted by GM Robert Fontaine for Europe Echecs in Rijeka. You can watch the video in fullscreen mode at Blip.tv (if the above player doesn't run in your browser).

Danailov: "Many friends of mine asked me to do this. The ECU needs some changes, people want some new energy, new blood. I was not so convinced, but I had a lot of support, even from the Bulgarian President. There are a lot of things you can improve in the ECU. We have to promote chess in schools and children's chess, and we need to make the ECU a more professional organisation."

Yazici: "I declared my candidacy five months ago. As a team we are trying to carry the knowledge and the experience from areas in which we have succeeded in the past. I always dream that the European Chess Union should be an international organisation like UEFA/FIFA. I will not use the ninth letter of the English alphabet, I will always use 'we', because it should be teamwork."

Danailov: "I think I am a professional in chess. I came from the lowest level in chess: I was a player, a coach, I became a manager, and then an organiser and promoter. Everybody knows my career. The others are politicians, who have much more experience than me, but I can offer a business plan to make this produce, chess, work, and to produce money.

Yazici: "I don't want to compare myself with Silvio. He is a top manager, I respect him, he is like my brother, a very good friend. I wish him good luck – if he wins I will be very happy."

Robert Fontaine of Europe Echecs, who conducted these interviews, tells us that Danailov has said that "Topalov will not accept or offer draws with Vishy Anand" in their title match in April. "It will be effectively the application of the Sofia rules."

This report will appear in the French chess magazine and news portal Europe Echecs. It was conducted by GM Robert Fontaine, who is also providing us with interviews with Ali Nihat Yazici and Silvio Danailov.


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