The following document was publishe on the web site of the Ukraine
Chess Federation:
FIDE
Gens Una Sumus
Decision of the Ethics Commission on the complaint of the German Chess
Federation against IM Miroslav Shvarts.
The Ethics Commission received a complaint from the German Chess Federation
against IM Miroslav Shvarts concerning a GM norm he said he received in the
Kali Cup GM tournament held in Mindzentkalla Hungary in February 2004. This
was a double round robin event. As this was IM Shvarts 3rd GM norm, he notified
the German Chess Federation that he was applying for the GM title.
The ratings officer of the German Federation, Mr. Christian Krause, became
suspicious of the GM norm Mr. Shvarts received in Kali. Mr. Krause then notified
the Hungarian Chess Federation (HCF) of his suspicions, and the Hungarians
duly conducted an investigation. Quoting from a letter sent by the HCF to
FIDE can best summarize the results of the investigation:
Departmental investigation of these cases started immediately, which resulted
as follows:
Tournament indicated by you named Kali Cup GM 2004 was a complete fraud
(Italics mine). Such an event did not take place. Disciplinary Committee
elected by the GA of HCF has taken the following disciplinary measures.
IM Istvandi, Lajos organizer of the event in question has been forbidden
to organize arbitrate and to participate in all chess events for two years.
IA Fazekas, Gyorgy who contributed creating the report for the request of
the organizer has been forbidden to arbitrate at any chess event for one
and a half years.
As can be seen, according to the HCF investigation, the Kali cup never took
place. Therefore the Ethics Commission has decided to apply sanctions against
all the participants in the tournament not just Mr. Shvarts.
An exception has been made for GM Nikolac, who has consistently maintained
that he never participated in the tournament, and was seen in Germany during
the time that tournament was supposed to have been played.
The following penalties will be assessed.
One-year suspension from tournament play beginning March 1, 2006:
IM Vadim Eschenko (Ukraine)
IM Timofey Galinsky (Ukraine)
GM Mato Damjanovic (Croatia)
GM Attila Czebe (Hungary)
Two and a half years suspension from tournament play beginning March
1, 2006:
IM Miroslav Shvarts
The Ethics Commission feels that Mr. Shvarts deserves a harsher penalty than
the other players for the following reasons:
- Mr. Shvarts was the primary beneficiary of the tournament, receiving his
third and final GM norm.
- Mr. Shvarts statements about his involvement in this tournament were misleading.
For instance in a letter to FIDE dated August 18th 2004 Mr. Shvarts stated,
“In February 2004 I achieved a GM norm at this tournament (Kali Cup) The
title certificate signed by the arbiter, Mr. G. Fazekas, and by Mr. Zoltan
Ambrus of the Hungarian Chess Federation.
- At a special hearing held by the Ethics Commission at last year’s FIDE
Congress in Dresden Mr. Shvarts stated that he now realized the Kali tournament
was fraudulent, but did not realize it at the time of the event. The Commission
found his testimony unconvincing.
- Mr. Shvarts was president of the regional chess federation in the Federal
Republic of Saxony, in Germany. In such a position, he should set a better
example for the local players.
Two and a half years suspension from arbiting or organizing tournaments.
IM Lajos Istvan
IM Gyorgy Fazekas
The Commission is of the opinion that the seriousness of their offences warrants
a harsher punishment for the organizer and arbiter than that imposed by the
Hungarian Chess Federation.
Ethics Commission