FIDE to hold public hearing on Topalov/Danailov

Summary

The FIDE Ethics Commission is to hold a public hearing on July 28, 2007, in Athens, Greece, to rule on the accusations leveled by Veselin Topalov and his manager Silvio Danailov against Vladimir Kramnik during the 2006 World Championship match in Elista, Kalmykia, and against the organisers of the World Championship and against the FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in an interview with the Spanish news service ABC.

In particular Topalov accused Kramnik of cheating, and presented this accusation not just to FIDE but also to the media, giving interviews and press conferences, personally or through his manager Silvio Danailov, although he was well aware that the accusation was not supported by evidence. The action was aimed at affecting Kramnik’s psychological state, in order to obtain an illegitimate advantage.

Further Topalov is charged with giving an interview which defamed Kramnik, the organisers and President Ilyumzhinov. In it he said that there had been threats to his delegation; that the airport in Elista had been closed, so that they did not know how to get out of the country; that Kramnik received help during the games from fans or the KGB; that Ilyumzhinov was a businessman who needed a Russian world champion, and that he was acting on orders from higher up; that he believed Kramnik cheated even after the scandal broke; that Kramnik was using a new foolproof method to get computer assistance during the games; and that this kind of Russian technology could make Kramnik invincible in a match.

The hearing will be held on Saturday 28th July 2007 at 16.30, in the Royal Olympic Hotel, “Abbey Hall” conference room, 28-34 Ath. Diakou Str. Athens, Greece. It is public and can be attended by anyone. The parties will have the right, but not the duty to be present.

FIDE Ethics Committee statement

FIDE ETHICS COMMISSION

Case N. 4/06

DECISION ON THE SCHEDULE OF A PUBLIC HEARING
(ART. 8 FIDE ETHICS COMMISSION INTERNAL RULES)

The Chairman of the FIDE Ethics Commission

NOTING the communication sent to Mr. Veselin Topalov by the FIDE Ethics Commission, in accordance with article 6 of the FIDE Ethics Commission Internal Rules, concerning the existence of a complaint against him for the following facts, that could constitute a violation of par. 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.9, 2.2.10, 2.2.11 of the FIDE Code of Ethics:

• During the World Championship held in Elista from 21st September to 13th October 2006, to have accused Mr. Vladimir Kramnik of cheating, presenting this accusation not only to the competent FIDE organs but even to the medias, giving interviews and press conferences, writing and verbalising opinions about the facts, personally and by your manager Silvio Danailov, well aware that this accusation was not supported by evidence, thus aiming at affecting Mr. Kramnik’s psychological state, in order to obtain an illegitimate advantage.

• Giving various and different interviews to many journalists in the months following the World Championship in Elista, and in particular giving an interview to Mr. Federico Marin Bellon, published on the Spanish ABC platform on 18th December 2006, to have defamed Mr. Vladimir Kramnik, the organisers of the World Championship in Elista, the FIDE and his President Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, damaging their honour and reputation, saying that “…había amenazas. En principio anónimas, pero cerraron el aeropuerto. Es fácil hablar desde aquí, pero cuando uno está en Rusia te planteas cómo salir. … La suerte es que no estaba implicado ningún profesional y los que le decían las jugadas eran aficionados o del KGB. … El Kremlin nunca reconocerá queenvenenó al espía ruso, lo que parece obvio, ni Kramnik que hizo trampas. … (¿Llegó a sentir miedo físico?) Sí, y creo que no volveré allí. … (¿Qué opina del presidente de la FIDE, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov?) Es un hombre de negocios, quesimplemente necesita tener a un ruso campeón. No es nada personal. Tenía la orden. … (¿Cree que Kramnik siguió haciendo trampas después de destaparse el escándalo?) Personalmente, creo que sí y que el nuevo método fue mejor. ... (¿También en el desempate?) Ahí tenían un sistema que no fallaba. En la cuarta partida, incluso cuando ya me tenía ganado, Kramnik hizo una jugada que sólo s le ocurre a una máquina. Luego, tenía derecho a un día de descanso, pero ni enfermo lo pidió. Si te van a pasar las jugadas, mejor jugar cuanto antes. Pero lo hicieron mejor que la chapuza de los cables. … -Si estosigue así, con la tecnología de los rusos, Kramnik va a ser invencible en unmatch”, and using other defaming and damaging words. [Translation below]

NOTING the communication sent to Mr. Silvio Danailov by the FIDE Ethics Commission, in accordance with article 6 of the FIDE Ethics Commission Internal Rules, concerning the existence of a complaint against him for the following facts, that could constitute a violation of par. 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.9, 2.2.10, 2.2.11 of the FIDE Code of Ethics:

• Acting as manager of Mr. Veselin Topalov, during the World Championship held in Elista from 21st September to 13th October 2006, to have accused Mr. Vladimir Kramnik of cheating, presenting this accusation not only to the competent FIDE organs but even to the medias, giving interviews and press conferences, writing and verbalising opinions about the facts, well aware that this accusation was not supported by evidence, thus aiming at affecting Mr.Kramnik’s psychological state, in order to obtain an illegitimate advantage for Mr. Topalov.

• Giving various and different interviews to many journalists in the months following the World Championship in Elista, to have defamed Mr. Vladimir Kramnik, the organisers of the World Championship in Elista, the FIDE and his President Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, damaging their honour and reputation.

NOTING that Mr. Veselin Topalov and Mr. Silvio Danailov submitted to the FIDE Ethics Commission some memorials and documents.

NOTING article 8 of the FIDE Ethics Commission Internal Rules.

CONSIDERING that, given the complexity of the case, the Ethics Commission deems necessary and appropriate to fix a hearing.

FOR THESE REASONS

DECIDES to hold a hearing on Saturday 28th July 2007 at 16.30, in the Royal Olympic Hotel, “Abbey Hall” conference room, 28-34 Ath. Diakou Str. Athens, Greece.

The hearing shall be public.

The parties will have the right, but not the duty to be present, and will be responsible for all the costs directly or indirectly associated with their presence. The parties shall anticipate their intention to be present to the FIDE Secretariat.

If a FIDE Federation, a FIDE Organ or any other person has an interest in the case, it will have the faculty to submit to the FIDE Ethics Commission any memorials and documents.

Turin, 14 July 2007.

The Chairman of the FIDE Ethics Commission
Roberto Rivello

Referenced articles of the FIDE Code of Ethics:

Excerpts from the ABC interview by Topalov

Links

• Download the original FIDE Ethics Committee statement as PDF
• Hearing on complaints against former members of the Moroccan Chess Federation
• Roberto Rivello: How the FIDE Ethics Commission works