
Moscow, 18 July 2014
To: "Tromso Olympiad 2014" Organizing Committee
Dear members of the "Tromso Olympiad 2014" Organizing Committee,
In my capacity as FIDE President, I am strongly complaining about the latest
decisions and behaviour of the Olympiad Organizing Committee in Tromso.
FIDE cannot accept the way that the Organizing Committee is treating many
national federations by delaying registrations, visa invitations and ignoring
FIDE decisions, regulations and signed contracts.
Unfortunately, the strong influence and partnership of one FIDE presidential
candidate, and his employees, within the Organizing Committee is causing
for the first time in Olympiad history, so many problems in a top FIDE event:
- selected countries that need to travel as a whole delegation to another
country (!!) to get their visa,
- match arbiters staying in hotels ...70 km away (!!) from the games,
- selected Federations that are prohibited to access the online registration
system of the Olympiad,
- invitation letters not issued for accompanying persons due to accommodation
problems,
- and even federations like Russia which have been initially accepted
as participants and then were refused registration, only 2 weeks before
the event!
For the case of Russian Women's Team, everything is very clear and it
is a wonder how the Organizing Committee is now refusing its participation.
The press release of the Organizing Committee here
shows that only on 5 June the Organizing Committee confirmed that the Olympiad
will really take place, after their previous public statements that the
Olympiad might be cancelled due to financial problems.
Still, the Russian Chess Federation had informed the Organizing Committee
long before 1 June that it intends to participate with both teams (men and
women). On 5 June, the FIDE Executive Director confirmed to the Organizing
Committee that Russia should be registered. The only reason that Russia
could not register their women team was that they were waiting for FIDE's
decision on the Kateryna Lagno case, which was only finalized on 12 July.
In the meantime, the Organizing Committee had accepted both team's registrations
(men and women) and even issued an invoice to the Russian Chess Federation
on 7 July, fully paid on 11 July, which is attached as annex 1 and can even
be seen online up to now here.
Therefore, it is obvious that the issue had been resolved many days ago,
even by accounting means, and it is re-opened now for political reasons,
connected with the FIDE elections. In addition, FIDE has repeatedly informed
the Organizing Committee that the participation of a team, which was not
registered within the deadline, is not an issue of the Organisers authority
but one of FIDE President to decide.
The Organizing Committee, instead of complying with FIDE's instructions,
also created similar problems with other national federations, contrary
to FIDE regulations. The Federations of Afghanistan, Gabon and Pakistan
are only three examples, out of many, legitimate federations that are denied
access to the online registration system of the Olympiad, and even today
they are still not allowed to register their full delegation. The Organizing
Committee had instead given the Afghanistan and Gabon access to the registration
system to people who are connected to Gary Kasparov and falsely claimed
to represent the real federations of Afghanistan and Gabon! This is an issue
resolved by the Electoral Commission of FIDE since 14 July and the Organising
Committee is aware of this. The Organizing Committee in Tromso has performed
an unbelievable scheme of combined illegitimate actions which should never
take place in a democratic country like Norway.
As FIDE President, I am hereby officially informing the Organizing
Committee that the delegations of Russia, Afghanistan, Gabon and Pakistan
are allowed to participate in the FIDE Olympiad and Congress in Tromso,
in accordance with the power given to the FIDE President by article 6.1
of the regulations. This decision has been made by taking into account the
real problems that the federations of Russia, Afghanistan, Gabon and Pakistan
faced during the registration process.
Furthermore and in all cases, article 3.7.2 of the Olympiad regulations
only stipulate a fine of 100 euros per person for late submissions. Not
exclusion of any team and certainly NOT under any individual's personal
decision without the approval of FIDE.
Therefore, I'm instructing the Organizing Committee to accept without
any delay the registrations of Cambodia, Central African Republic, Ivory
Coast, Oman and Senegal for participation in the Chess Olympiad and Congress
of Tromso. The amount of 100 euros per person for these federations will
be paid to the Organizing Committee. FIDE will cover this cost and not the
national federations.
At this stage, FIDE is in consultation with its lawyers and bankers.
FIDE is considering all measures, including compensation to the affected
federations through the default of the Organizing Committee's bank guarantee,
as the Organizing Committee has already violated several articles of the
Olympiad regulations and their contract with FIDE.
The FIDE President, according to the Olympiad regulations, is empowered
to take final decisions on urgent and unforeseen issues, a regulation especially
important to prevent local organisers from abusing the rights national federations.
Unfortunately, it is the first time in the history of Chess Olympiads that
such a measure is applied and it is absolutely necessary to protect many
national federations from the illegal and biased decisions of the Organizing
Committee in Tromso.
We are expecting the Organizing Committee in Tromso to operate as a fully
independent and fair body to all national chess federations and not only
to the ones that are politically connected to them. I have been also informed
by the FIDE Executive Director Mr. Nigel Freeman and FIDE Vice-President
Mr. Israel Gelfer, that many problems which have been identified in their
inspections in Tromso have not been resolved yet. The main duty of the Organizing
Committee should be to solve these problems connected with the games, not
to engage in war with FIDE or its national federations.
By Monday 21 July, 11 am CET, the Organizing Committee should confirm to
FIDE in a written statement that all Olympiad applicants will receive visa
and no country will be excluded without the approval of FIDE. We hope to
enjoy a successful and well organized Olympiad in Tromso.
Addendum 1: The organisers have acknowledged the receipt
of the letter: "Chess Olympiad Tromsø 2014 received today, at
09:00, an open letter from FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. The board
of COT 2014 will now devote its time to reviewing this letter. COT 2014
will make its position known within the deadline set in the FIDE letter,
that is, by Monday, 21 July, 11:00 (a.m.) Central European Time. Until then,
COT 2014 will not issue any further comment. – Head of Communications
Jarle Heitmann.
Addendum 2: There has been rumours on the Internet
that Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to help Ilyumzhinov move the
Olympiad to Sochi, and defray the additional costs of two million Euros.
As of writing no confirmation of these rumours have been received, so that
they should be treated with utmost caution.