The truth will out
With the inevitable headline "Police checkmate chess grandmaster,"
the UK newspaper the Guardian ran a story on FIDE VP Zurab Azmaiparashvili's
arrest in Spain on charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
The story is co-authored by senior chess author Leonard Barden. The details
are familiar to ChessBase readers.
"In the rugby field, certainly. On the football pitch, probably. But
yesterday, the usually genteel game of chess was embroiled in its own version
of the soup scandal when a grandmaster was arrested at the closing ceremony
of the chess olympiad for allegedly headbutting a policeman." [In
case you missed soup-gate.]
We have just received word that Zurab Azmaiparashvili has been released and
that a hearing is pending. He was let out of Mallorca jail at 14:30 local time
today. He spoke at length with ChessBase's Frederic Friedel in an interview
that will come out in a few days. Meanwhile, we have a few shocking pictures
by Albert Vasse taken during the interview in which you can see the effects
the altercation had on the FIDE Vice President.
The Spanish Olympiad organizers and chess federation president issued a press
release in response to FIDE's first regarding the events at the closing ceremony
that led to Azmaiparashvili's arrest. We give it in full below.
FIDE Press Release - Calvia, 1st of November 2004
FIDE International Chess Federation Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili
freed from custody, after 40h of detention following an aggression by security
guards at the Closing Ceremony of the 36th Chess Olympiad.
FIDE Federation Internationale Des Echecs Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili
has been released from custody by the Palmanova police in Mallorca at 14h30
local time on November 1st 2004, after having been held for over 40 hours by
the Spanish police.
The local judge has accepted this release after a deposit of 500 euros was
paid. He also said that there will be a full hearing of the case at a later
date.
Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili maintains his position that this was
an unmotivated aggression by the security guards at the Closing Ceremony of
the 36th Calvia Chess Olympiad. He was indeed severely beaten and has still
now a big black eye. He will be undergoing very soon an independent medical
examination to fully assess his health condition.
His arrest took place on the 30th of October 2004 at the Chess Olympiad Closing
Ceremony as it was coming to an end. A special prize bearing the name of a prominent
female Georgian player and former World Chess Champion, Nona Gaprindashvili
was about to be awarded. However, the Master of Ceremony failed to explain the
reason behind the award.
FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who is a Georgian, tried to notify
this to the organizers, who did nothing to correct this incredible mistake.
Despite his clear VIP identification, FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili
was severely beaten up by several security guards, according to witnesses. Persons
near by, including his wife, Mrs. Marina Milorava, were then themselves beaten
up as they attempted to help him.
FIDE is very pleased with this release and regrets this aggression for which
the Organisers of the Calvia Olympiad share full responsibility. FIDE still
awaits public excuses from both the Calvia Olympiad Organisers and the Spanish
Chess Federation, who have both been of no support to FIDE to help the release
of FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili.
*********************
PRESS RELEASE BY THE 36th CHESS OLYMPIAD ORGANIZATION AND THE SPANISH CHESS
FEDERATION. (31.10.04)
The Organization Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad and the Spanish Chess
Federation, after considering the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE)
press statement released yesterday, would like to clarify the following issues:
When the Closing Ceremony of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad was coming to an end,
with international, local and regional authorities present on the stage, Mr.
Azmaiparashvili tried to gain admittance to the stage on several occasions without
authorization. At that moment an agent of the Spanish Police, an elite force
that specializes in the security of international events, tried to avoid his
admittance to the stage, in accordance with the protocol of the event.
Mr. Azmaiparashvili, without any previous provocation, assaulted the agent
with a head butt to his mouth. This aggression caused his arrest, after offering
a strong resistance, and subsequent transfer to the Police station, to bring
him before the judge.
As the Police Commander explained to the press, the aggression was witnessed
by many eyewitnesses. Mr. Azmaiparashvili is at present under arrest, charged
with assault and resistance to the authority.
From the first moment of Mr. Azmaiparashvili’s arrest, the whole process
is under judicial control, as in any European Union country, Independent medical
and legal assistance are guaranteed.
We know that Mr. Azmaiparashvili has apologized to the assaulted policeman,
recognizing his faults. The policeman has suffered injuries that have forced
him to take sick leave.
Both the organizers and the President of the FEDA, Mr. Javier Ochoa de Echagüen
offered the FIDE executives all sorts of facilities, as well as a list of lawyers
for Mr. Azmaiparashvili’s defence.
With regard to the prize giving, the protocol at all moment followed the instructions
received from FIDE. The Nona Gaprindashvili trophy was given to Russia by the
FIDE Honorary President. If there was a protocol error, of which the organization
has found no evidence, in no way can it justify the violence exerted by Mr.
Aizmaparashvili.
Therefore, the Organising Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad and the Spanish
Chess Federation would like to state our indignation with regard to the surprising
FIDE press release, and request:
1º The rectification of the lies and distortions, probably caused by the
hurry in the emission of the FIDE press release, adjusting it to what really
happened.
2º Once the responsibilities have been delimited, disciplinary measures
must be adopted with regard to such a serious matter, the centre of attention
of which was an executive of the highest body of the FIDE.
Spanish Chess Federation
President
Mr. Javier Ochoa de Echagüen
Organizing Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad
General Director
Mr. Antonio Rami
