Bulgarian Chess Federation supports Topalov

Open letter
To: Mr. Kirsan Ilymzhinov, president of FIDE
Date: 03.04.2007

Dear Mr. Ilymzhinov,

We are unpleasantly surprised at the constant modifications in the positions and the resolutions of the Board of FIDE. This fact damages the prestige of the International Chess Federation and chess in general. Who in fact takes those decisions and who changes them?

The candidate matches, which will be played in Elista starting May 25, should have taken place ten days later according to your previous decision. However, that did not happen. The actual date, immediately after the end of one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year – M-tel Masters, affects to certain extent the participants. What was the problem the candidate matches to be played 10 days later? You very well know how difficult it is to find sponsors and that it is not easy to preserve the traditions of strong tournaments.

According to the information published on the official FIDE web page, the rank list from April 01, 2007 should include tournaments completed by February 28. Why is that not observed? Why and who changes the rules? Until when FIDE will give way to pressure and will not keep its principles? Is it normal for a world organization, that cares about its name and authority, to publish a rank list and change it two days later because somebody protested?

In the beginning of January 2007 we sent you our position with reference to the modifications you were preparing in the competition cycle for the world title. Have you discussed it or not during the meeting in Antalia? If yes, what was the decision and why we were not informed about it?

Why did you not accept the bank guarantees of two Million Dollars for organizing and carrying out the match between V. Topalov and V. Kramnik? The argument that the term is not kept is not convincing. How is it that in one case the time limit should be strictly followed and in others it is not observed at all? Don’t you think that all decisions that FIDE takes lately are to the prejudice of V. Topalov?

Mr. Ilymzhinov, the Bulgarian Chess Federation and Veselin Topalov himself have been very well disposed towards you. The fact that Mr. Topalov had agreed to play a match with V. Kramnik in Elista, predetermined to a great extent your electoral victory on the last congress in Torino.

I turn to you with the kind request to stop your rough and ill disposed behavior towards Veselin Topalov and do all possible that he takes part in the competition for the world title. It is not logical the winner from the last championship in San Luis and the constant leader in the rank list should not play in Mexico, while at the same time the second, third, and fourth will play without qualifications. We hope that this injustice will be amended in the interest of the chess game, moreover that the organizers of Mexico 2007 have repeatedly expressed their desire that V. Topalov takes part in the world championship.

Best regards,
Stefan Sergiev
President of the Bulgarian Chess Federation