ChessBase 16 - Mega package Edition 2021
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TOI: According to some reports, it seems Anand was helped by Kasparov, Kramnik and Carlsen for the match. Your comments.
Veselin Topalov: I do not think Anand should be very proud of this. Especially by the fact he accepted help from the first two. I have been among the chess elite for 15 years and perfectly remember how Kasparov treated Anand for years. And not long before the World Championship match in Bonn 2008, Anand had to stand the arrogant statements of his opponent in the press. I would never accept help from people who humiliated me for years even for free. But it seems Anand is different.
What are your thoughts on Anand?
I think being a world champion is a great responsibility. He has to collaborate with FIDE and attract new sponsors to chess. But Anand does not have a professional team behind him and has failed to find sponsors. India could be a paradise for chess, but the fact that he has not played a single tournament in India since 2002 can only mean two things: either Anand does not like to play in India, or his team is not capable to stage a top level event.
At the end of the report there is an index of more TOI reports, including
Aruna Anand's reply given below
World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand's camp has hit back at Veslin Topolov for his comments slamming Anand for taking help from Gary Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. Speaking exclusively to TIMES NOW, Anand's wife Aruna Anand on Wednesday (May 26) said that Topolov is trying to intimidate them and that they are not bothered by such allegations.
She said, "We never really gave attention to what he said before, and I don't think we are going to give attention to him now. I don’t know what his reasons are, but till now we have just kept silent to whatever has been the provocation from his side. They think they are trying to intimidate us, but I think by making these allegations his is also showing his weakness quite openly. I think especially after winning the match in their own country, I don't think we should be bothered by what they say and why they are saying it," she added.
Anand has refused to comment directly on the issue.
Today the chess blog Chessdom published a note, at the request of Topalov, under the title "The unpublished interview of Veselin Topalov" and the subtitle "Aruna answers before knowing the full text". The report goes on to say:
"A few days ago Times of India published exclusive interview with Topalov about the World Championship match in Sofia. At the same time Anand's reply was published by Indian media, Veselin Topalov contacted Chessdom.com sending the full text of the interview, large parts of which have not been published by TOI."
The full interview, as submitted to the Times of India, is then given. Apart from orthography the key parts appear to be unchanged:
"I do not think Anand should be very proud of this. Especially by the fact he accepted help from the first 2.I am between the chess elite already for 15 years and perfectly remember how Kasparov treated Anand for years. And not long before World Championship match in Bonn 2008 Anand had to stand the arrogant statements of his opponent in the press. I would never accept help from persons who humiliated me during years even for free. But it seems Anand is different."
Our readers can compare the interview as given in the Times of India (link above) and the "full interview" as published in Chessdom.
