Election for FIDE President

Sep 29: FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumznhinov was re-elected as FIDE President on the first day of the 81st FIDE Congress by a margin of 95 votes to 55 votes. He was challenged by former World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov who was supported by former champion Garry Kasparov.

CS FIDE delegate Alan Minnican attended the Congress: As expected Kirsan won comfortably in his match up with Anatoly Karpov.  I had been led to believe that if it was a private ballot it was going to be very tight but it did not take long to realise that this was pure fantasy.  At almost every stage Kirsan overruled Fide statute and got what he wanted.  In the hall it felt like the 3rd world countries against the developed nations with the countries with little chess culture, few chess players, little chess infrastructure deciding the future of chess through their friendly dictator.  Alas it has always been so - I cannot recall the days of Max Euwe and joined the party in Campo's day but little has changed and little is likely to change apart from the deterioration of the great game as a serious sport and an attraction to large corporate sponsors.  FIDE received nothing from sponsorship last year - not a penny.  But rely on the fee income from world championship matches and olympiads to scrape a living.  When Karpov gave his speech he created a vision of the future of professionalism in all chess matters ranging from chess in schools, media, chess publishing, olympiads and world championships.  He and Kasparov had already lined up corporate sponsorship and he was willing to cut all subscriptions and rating fees immediately.  Kirsan stood up and said "I love chess - Gens Una Sumus" and sat down to roaring applause from the African countries - some I had hardly heard of. 

There were a few islands off Cape Verde that are not in the Olympiad but their votes have the same entitlements as those from Russia or Germany. It is all very sad and pathetic - little people trying desperately to hold onto big jobs with the future of chess in their hands.  I refer not to Kirsan who conducted himself very shrewdly through the whole farce and remained calm throughout, but to his cronies sitting with him on stage.  Someone like Kasparov could learn from Kirsan - he should have signed up to the Karpov ticket but remained in Moscow, instead he lost all poise and composure during the debates (see Europe Echecs video of Kasparov sans poise) - the waves of energy and emotion that has swept all before him are simply not suited to politics. He was outplayed by a master in a game where he is still learning the rules. 

May 13: Chess Scotland is pleased to announce that they will be supporting Anatoly Karpov in his bid for the FIDE Presidency at the upcoming 2010 FIDE elections.   

This decision was taken by the Directors on Thursday 13th May after consideration of a letter received from the ECF and as with our English colleagues, we wish to publicly endorse the former World Champion in his campaign. We have notified both the Russian and German Chess Federations of our intentions. Andy Howie, Chess Scotland Executive Director