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At one stage during the press conference a journalist, IM Ilya Odessky, asked Kasparov about his reunification match against Rustam Kasimdzhanov, scheduled for next January in Dubai. Kasparov reply was summarized by Odessky in the following three points:
Odessky reported that while Kasparov was speaking he suddenly heard a voice which said: "He is lying about everything". It came from the personal assistant of FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, Berik Balgabaev. "First of all, Ali (the president of Turkish Chess association, Mr., Ali Nihat Yazici) did not say that he is willing to buy out the rights," said Balgabaev. "Secondly, a representative of FIDE has already flown out to Dubai, and soon all necessary guaranteed will be announced; and thirdly, Kasparov’s business is to play chess, and not to engage in squabbling."
Today we received the following letter from Deputy President of FIDE, Georgios Makropoulos, formally reacting to our report.
Dear chessfriends,
I would like to make the following clarifications concerning the
article published on the ChessBase website on Nov 16 about the 57th Russian
Championship Press Conference.
GM Garry Kasparov was very accurate about points 1 and 2 of your summary (his
source of information and lack of bank guarantees).
In point 3, concerning the proposal of the Turkish Chess Federation, it is
obvious that Garry isn't fully informed about the real facts. The President
of the Turkish Chess Federation, Mr Ali Nihat Yazici, requested from the FIDE
General Assembly in Calvia to issue a deadline to the Dubai organizers for
the completion of all procedures and the delivery to FIDE of all necessary
financial guarantees. In case the Dubai organizers would not be able to keep
the deadline, then FIDE would have to terminate its efforts to organize the
World Championship match in the United Arab Emirates and give a period of 10
days to the Turkish Federation to provide an alternative solution together
with all financial guarantees.
The President of Turkish Chess Federation and FIDE delegate Ali Nihat Yazici
The Turkish Federation was of course in no position during the FIDE General
Assembly to guarantee that it would indeed succeed in securing sponsorship.
The only guarantee on the table was the optimism of Mr Yazici that he would
succeed and the fact that he is a serious president of a very active federation
which would never engage FIDE in an adventure from which we would lose all
potential sponsors.
The FIDE General Assembly did not reject the Turkish proposal and decided to
request from the FIDE President, Mr Ilyumzhinov, that he himself will set the
deadline since Mr Ilyumzhinov is the only person having complete knowledge
about the progress of negotiations with the Dubai organizers. Mr Yazici was
not satisfied with this decision and he informed me that under these hazy conditions
the Turkish Federation will not be able to organize the match in any case.
Consequently, GM Garry Kasparov did not lie during the recent Press Conference
in Moscow but instead he was speaking based on the only information he had.
It is also his irremovable right, as with all chessplayers, to publicly express
his opinion about all matters which concern himself or the general structure
and the further development of our sport.
FIDE and the whole international chess community should express its satisfaction
with the efforts and the patience shown by GM Garry Kasparov for the realization
of the Prague Agreement.
Sincerely,
Georgios Makropoulos
FIDE Deputy President
