Breaking news: 2022 Chess Olympiad to be moved from Moscow

by ChessBase
2/25/2022 – The International Chess Federation has announced today its decision that the 44th Chess Olympiad, one of its flagship events, will not take place in Russia. This championship, in which teams from approximately 190 countries compete for two weeks, was supposed to take place in Moscow from July 26 July to August 8. FIDE press release.

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This year's edition of the Chess Olympiad was supposed to include the first chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, to be played in Khanty-Mansiysk, a well-known skiing and alpine centre of global importance that annually hosts the Biathlon World Cup.

Another event that will be moved away from Russia is the 93rd FIDE Congress, which was planned to take place alongside the Chess Olympiad. This year, the Congress should also include an electoral procedure, since the first term of the current FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich is coming to an end. Dvorkovich was elected in Batumi (Georgia), in September 2018.

Chess in Russia remains extremely popular, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and despite the fact that Russia has not won a Chess Olympiad since Bled (Slovenia) 2002. There are tens of millions of fans, and the sport is enthusiastically supported by its institutions and also by its private sector. The country often hosts top-level chess competitions, including official ones, like the previous Candidates Tournament that took place in Yekaterinburg amidst the pandemic.

However, the rapidly deteriorating geopolitical situation has forced the FIDE Council to make this difficult move. During its extraordinary meeting, held today, Friday 25 of February, it was decided that all official competitions planned would be moved from Russia.

FIDE is already working on finding alternative dates and locations for these events.

Links to aborted plans for the Olympiad

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KingZor KingZor 2/28/2022 03:45
Karjakin's love letter to Putin is partially translated here: https://goodwordnews.com/chess-star-who-backed-russian-military-operation-in-ukraine-faces-disciplinary-action-rt-sport-news/

He writes that Putin "Fights for the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine...which has endangered the security of all of Europe and our country.

...I express to you, our Commander-in-Chief, my full support in protecting the interests of Russia, our multinational Russian people, eliminating threats and establishing peace! I wish you the speedy fulfillment of all the tasks assigned to our valiant army."

Karjakin has always struck me as an idiot savant. Brilliant at chess, a socially awkward simpleton at everything else.
arzi arzi 2/28/2022 02:45
To palko7:"I would like to read about Karjakin's love with Putin."

Here for you, palko7, the hot love story from Putin and Karjakin. Enjoy.

https://twitter.com/SergeyKaryakin/status/1497950920029704195
arzi arzi 2/28/2022 08:10
Quanber:"We are close to 8 billion people on this planet. Russia's 144 million residents make up 2% of this cake, and Putin has got the crazy idea that he can manipulate the other 98% into believing he is on a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine."

Unfortunately, the Russians have perhaps about 30% of all the world’s nuclear weapons, maybe more? That is a bigger share of cake.
palko7 palko7 2/27/2022 11:14
I would like to read about Karjakin's love with Putin.
flachspieler flachspieler 2/27/2022 10:01
https://www.fide.com/news/1603
flachspieler flachspieler 2/27/2022 07:19
Are there already news from the FIDE council meeting today?

Ingo Althoefer.
tyhjyydesta tyhjyydesta 2/27/2022 04:21
I would like to ask chessbase where is the story of appalling Karjakin tweets and his condemnation? Chess public deserves to be informed about what a disgrace of a human being Karjakin is. Make it a headline please. Every little bit of support towards Ukraine counts.
CMDRExorcist CMDRExorcist 2/27/2022 04:11
A wise decision, of course since Russia is currently world enemy #1.
Quanber Quanber 2/26/2022 11:27
We sometimes meet Putin clones on the Internet in blitz chess. . After a few moves, they fool around with the queen alone with the absurd thought that it alone can sniff all the other pieces.

We are close to 8 billion people on this planet. Russia's 144 million residents make up 2% of this cake, and Putin has got the crazy idea that he can manipulate the other 98% into believing he is on a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

Here, the 44 million. inhabitants, corresponding to 1/3 of Russia's inhabitants, are forced to understand that they are Russians. After putting a gun to their forehead, he summons them to negotiations.
Putin has always regarded Zelensky as an ungifted comedian. But unlike Putin, Zelensky has been driven by a desire to make things better for the citizens of Ukraine. He is not a liar like Putin, and we have discovered that.

For every innocent person (including young Russian soldiers) who dies in this so-called peacekeeping mission, Putin digs his own grave deeper. At some point Putin wakes up and discovers that he has written himself into history as an ungifted tyrant. We will remember him as a deeply vicious personality with no understanding of the human right to self-determination over their own destiny.
It’s the classic mistake of every tyrant: Surround yourself only with sycophants, suck-ups and yes-men, and you never get a reality check in your echo chamber. Eliminate dissenting politicians, and you assume that means you’ve eliminated dissent.
lajosarpad lajosarpad 2/26/2022 04:11
It was highly probable that FIDE would make this move.
flachspieler flachspieler 2/26/2022 03:15
FIDE needs a new president instead of Putin's friend Dvorkovich.
My favorite is Dana Reizniece-Ozola. You may have a look at FIDE
photos from Wednesday (the day before Russia started war):
They show both Dvorkovich and Reizniece-Ozola in Kenya, she
in a special costume:

https://www.fide.com/news/1593

Ingo Althoefer.
palko7 palko7 2/26/2022 02:25
Germany loves Putin. 5000 helmets for Ukraine is a joke. If they weren't in the EU and NATO, they would probably send him a weapons.
AWKUZ AWKUZ 2/26/2022 01:51
Putin is the best president! Go Russia!
Serse Serse 2/26/2022 01:42
News from our "old friend" Tolya. Some things never change...

"Anatoli Karpov. Member of the State Duma who voted in favour of Resolution No. 58243-8 "On the request of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin on the necessity to recognise the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic" and who, as a result, supported and implemented actions and policies that undermined the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and further destabilised Ukraine."
Alexandru27 Alexandru27 2/26/2022 09:26
Sorry for the quality of professional organisation and relay of top chess events in Russia, but this move was only to be expected., and will likely be supported as long as a certain person will stay in power. Chess cannot make exception from the huge wave of international reactions to what's happening.
flachspieler flachspieler 2/26/2022 08:36
The worldwide community needs to find a substitute for Moscow soon. Otherwise (Putin's
friend) Dvorkovich may formulate in four weeks: "We did not find other organizers. So the
Olympiad has to take place in Moscow or be postponed to another year."

Perhaps, it makes sense to split the Olympiad in two smaller parts:
One event for the Lady competitions, and one for the open class.

Perhaps, FIDE Vice president Nigel Short may put his energy in
the search for other organizing places. In particular: It might be
provisional competitions without perfection (for instance without
DGT boards) but with lots of improvisation and enthusiasm.

Ingo Althoefer, Germany.
Zagliveri_chess Zagliveri_chess 2/26/2022 07:07
In Aristotle's work Politics (Πολιτικά), 4th century BC, it is clearly stated that dictators, tyrants, and, in general, autocrats with prolonged or self-appointed life term in power would ultimately bestow excessive privileges and wealth to a small group of sycophants. I think the precise English term that describes that group is 'camarilla'. This arrangement guarantees to the autocrat the unwavering devotion and support of the group. The reason is simple. If the autocrat falls, so will the camarilla and the process would likely be rather unpleasant to them.

According to Aristotle, the reign of the autocrat is threatened by peace because then the citizens start paying attention to the disparity in quality of life between the autocrat and camarilla on one hand and themselves on the other. To ensure that questions of fairness in distribution of wealth and opportunities do not gain momentum, the autocrat periodically induces or orchestrates tensions with neighboring regimes (city-states in Greece at the time) by exploiting cultural, religious, or ethnic differences between the regimes. Aristotle wrote that 24 centuries ago. Do you see any parallels to the present situation?

As for Sergei, once you are a part of the camarilla, you can only exit it in a coffin.
kopite01 kopite01 2/26/2022 05:52
Karjakin is a disgrace for his support of the killing of innocent people in Ukraine. He should be banned and not allowed to play in any FIDE event. I would be happy to never see his face again in another chess tournament.
Revealingknighty Revealingknighty 2/26/2022 05:27
Good to see Nepo and vitugov speaking out. Predictably Karjakin remains on team Putin. That might seem smart to him now, but probably alekhine also thought he was playing it smart when he spouted anti-semitic propaganda for the nazis. I'd advise karjakin to work on his endgame skills and look a few mkves further ahead...
dlemper dlemper 2/26/2022 05:25
Putin is the prince of lies.
I'll remember the courage of the Ukrainians the rest of my life. I'll also remember the offer of Germany to sent helmets.
visitor visitor 2/26/2022 04:08
"However, the rapidly deteriorating geopolitical situation has forced the FIDE Council to make this difficult move."

Reminds me of a scene from the show Billions.

Foley: "The location board combs through many factors. Sandicot submitted a proposal and was under consideration as were many other locations. Ultimately, - "

Axelrod: "...the committee chose the location that would bring the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. Yes, I know the party line. You could've written something more stylish."

Foley: "It's not supposed to be stylish. It's supposed to make you feel a little bit ill. Like an out of season oyster."
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