French GMs: ''We express our full support of the FFE

by ChessBase
1/27/2011 – Four grandmasters Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Laurent Fressinet, Vladislav Tkachiev and Romain Edouard have expressed their dismay at the charges brought against three of their colleagues who are accused of cheating. "If the allegations are found to be true, we will condemn them firmly," they write, in this public statement in Europe Echecs.

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La Fédération Française des Echecs (FFE) a annoncé, le 21 janvier 2011, qu'elle a engagé, le 22 décembre dernier, une action disciplinaire contre deux Grand-Maîtres Internationaux membres de l’équipe de France, ainsi que contre un Maître International français, à la suite «de soupçons de triche organisée, manquement grave à l'éthique sportive, atteinte portée à l'image de l'équipe nationale olympique, dans le cadre des Olympiades d'échecs qui se sont déroulées à Khanty-Mansyik (Russie), du 21 septembre au 3 octobre 2010».

En qualité de membres de l’équipe de France d’échecs engagés dans cette compétition, nous souhaitons exprimer notre profonde stupéfaction à la lecture de la gravité des accusations portées, et notre plus ferme détermination à ce que toute la lumière soit établie sur cette affaire.

Les griefs invoqués sont graves, car ils peuvent être de nature à jeter le discrédit sur le jeu d’échecs, en tant que sport de haut niveau, mais également comme loisir ouvert au plus grand nombre de pratiquants, qu’ils soient licenciés assidus d’un club ou bien simples amateurs.

C’est pourquoi, sans préjuger de l’issue des procédures en cours ou qui pourraient être déclenchées ultérieurement, nous manifestons notre entier soutien à la FFE dans les démarches de recherche de vérité qu’elle a entreprises, ainsi que dans la volonté qu’elle affiche de tout mettre en œuvre pour lutter contre la tricherie. Nous faisons ainsi entière confiance à la Commission de Discipline fédérale pour se prononcer sur la véracité des faits allégués, dans le respect des nécessaires exigences d’indépendance et d’impartialité, et nous nous tenons à son entière disposition. Si les faits étaient avérés, nous les condamnerions fermement.

Enfin, nous souhaitons rappeler l’importance que nous attachons aux valeurs de fair-play, de respect de l’adversaire et d’exemplarité par le dépassement de soi, qui constituent les principes éthiques universels de l’esprit olympique, mais également de la singularité de notre sport, fondé sur les capacités d’analyse et de créativité propres à la réflexion humaine.

Maxime VACHIER-LAGRAVE
Laurent FRESSINET
Vladislav TKACHIEV
Romain EDOUARD

Membres de l’équipe de France d’échecs

Source: Europe Echec


STATEMENT

The French Chess Federation (FFE) has announced, on January 21st 2011, that it had taken, on December 22nd 2010, a disciplinary action against two International Grand Masters members of the French Team, as well as against a French International Master, suspecting them of “organized fraud, serious breach of sport ethics, damage caused to the image of the French Team, during the World Chess Olympiad which took place in Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia), from September 21st to October 3rd 2010”.

As members of the French Chess Team playing in the above-mentioned competition, we wish to express our deepest amazement on reading the seriousness of the charges brought, and our firmest determination for truth to prevail in this case.

The charges referred to are grave, because they can not only bring discredit to the game of chess as a high level sport, but also as a leisure game, open to widest range of chess lovers, whether they be members of a chess club or simple “woodpusher” playing with friends.

This is why, without prejudging the outcome of current or forthcoming proceedings, we express our full support to the FFE in the quest to find truth it has undertaken, and and in the willingness it shows to undertake a fight against cheating. We fully trust the FFE Disciplinary Commission to decide on the veracity of the allegations, while respecting the necessary requirements for independence and impartiality. We remain entirely at its disposition. If the allegations are found to be true, we will condemn them firmly.

To conclude, we wish to reiterate the importance we attach to the values of fair play, respect for the opponent, and exemplarity role of those who surpass themselves; all this forms the universal ethic principle of the Olympic spirit, but also of the uniqueness of our sport, based on analysis and creativity talents, specific to human thinking.

Maxime VACHIER-LAGRAVE
Laurent FRESSINET
Vladislav TKACHIEV
Romain EDOUARD

Members of the French Chess Team


Previous reports

FFE accuses its own players of cheating
22.01.2011 – Shocking news: the French Chess Federation (FFE) has announced that it has initiated disciplinary action against three players – one of them one of France's most promising talents – on suspicion of "organized cheating, serious breach of sport ethics, undermining the image of the national Olympic team in Khanty-Mansyik”. We are following the investigation. Press release.

Feller replies: 'I completely deny the cheating accusations'
24.01.2011 – Two days ago the French Chess Federation announced the investigation of three French players on suspicion of "organized cheating" at the Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansyik. Now one of the three, 19-year-old French GM Sebastien Feller, has replied emphatically, implying that the entire action was a result of his support of the current FIDE president (the FFE supported his rival Karpov). Open letter.

Battesti: 'It's insulting to our president and his federation'
24.01.2011 – Instead of adopting an ostrich position the President of the French Chess Federation and his VP have initiated an investigation of French Olympiad members suspected of cheating. They have appointed Leo Battesti, a Sorbonne-educated lawyer, as the spokesperson for the Federation. Battesti has reacted to the criticism of one of the accused player with an interview in Europe Echecs.


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