44th Chess Olympiad, Moscow

[John Foley]

This event is scheduled for 26th July until 8th August 2022
The current political and security situation does not bode well.
Does the ECF still plan to enter a team?

[J T Melsom]

I suspect the stance at the moment will be that the ECF will follow government advice. Contact with Russia hasn't been banned as yet. UEFA are moving the Champions League final because this is relatively straightforward, but the annexation of the Crimea didn't prevent Russia being permitted to host the football World Cup, so I suspect where your redlines might be is far from clear-cut. There is also a trend to boycott at dignitary level but allow continuation of the 'sport'.

If ECF members were unhappy about fielding a team, would a formal motion to Council be binding?

[Matt Mackenzie]

It could always go ahead and players choose to make a political statement anyway (as four decades ago with the "GULKO" jumpers)

[J T Melsom]

I wasn't aware of this historic incident of protest, but Gulko's efforts to emigrate are covered in a Chessbase article that I found marking his 75th birthday. Who participated in the protest? Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina. Was the Dirty War not grubby enough?

[David Sedgwick]

This event is scheduled for 26th July until 8th August 2022
The current political and security situation does not bode well.
Does the ECF still plan to enter a team?

I think it is too soon to form any view.

If Russian troops advance from the rebel held areas of the Donbass to those parts currently still under Ukrainian control, then a further red line will have been crossed.

In that situation I would not expect the Olympiad to go ahead, at least not in Moscow. I think a lot of teams would have difficulty getting there, even if they were willing to play.

[NickFaulks]

Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina. Was the Dirty War not grubby enough?

I think it is well established that you send teams to international sporting events in countries whose governments treat their own people abominably. Otherwise you would never go anywhere. Invading another country is different.

[J T Melsom]

David

I suspect your precisely defined red line is the critical one, as are the practical consequences. That doesn't prevent a more robust stance being taken. I'm not sure invading a sovereign state is really compatible with extending the arm of international friendship that is usually part and parcel of international sporting events. We could opt out on the basis of incursions to date.

[J T Melsom]

Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina. Was the Dirty War not grubby enough?

I think it is well established that you send teams to international sporting events in countries whose governments treat their own people abominably. Otherwise you would never go anywhere. Invading another country is different.

It is as you say the well established approach, that is not to say it is necessarily the correct one. Executing people and then kicking a football around in the same stadium seems worthy of specific pause for thought. But when there is often a reluctance to impose sanctions of any sort it can be difficult to see why sport should be singled out. The precise range of any sanctions is always difficult to determine.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I wasn't aware of this historic incident of protest, but Gulko's efforts to emigrate are covered in a Chessbase article that I found marking his 75th birthday. Who participated in the protest? Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina. Was the Dirty War not grubby enough?

Of course certain footballers (most notably Cruyff) declined to play in Argentina in 1978.

[JustinHorton]

Donner discusses the issue in The King

[Jonathan Bryant]

I wasn't aware of this historic incident of protest, but Gulko's efforts to emigrate are covered in a Chessbase article that I found marking his 75th birthday. Who participated in the protest? Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina. Was the Dirty War not grubby enough?

Of course certain footballers (most notably Cruyff) declined to play in Argentina in 1978.

IIRC Jonathan Mestel publicly protested against the junta whilst there for the Olympiad and declined to play in Dubai 8 years later

[Jonathan Bryant]

IIRC ....

It seems I did >>

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.c ... years.html

... Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina.

Not really - it’s just two examples of sports washing. As was the venue of the 78 World Championship match

[Geoff Chandler]

I was thinking about this a few days ago. (I posted something about it somewhere.)

FIDE should act now and seek a country willing to take over.
(maybe, due to short notice logistical problems the men's and women's event could be held in different countries.)

In 1954 the Olympiad was to be held in Argentina but they pulled out 6 weeks before the event. (financial problems)
Amsterdam jumped in and saved it. But then they only had to cater for 26 teams, No women's team took part.
in the 2018 Olympiad there were 108 countries represented in the men's event and 151 in the women's.

[J T Melsom]

... Curious that both the football World Cup and the Olympiad took place in Argentina.

Not really - it’s just two examples of sports washing. As was the venue of the 78 World Championship match
[/quote]

i was actually considering whether it was unusual for prestigious events to follow one another in the same country in the same year, because they might have synergies, but are more likely to distract from one another. But yes sports washing is a more recent term for a long standing issue.

[Roger de Coverly]

IIRC Jonathan Mestel publicly protested against the junta whilst there for the Olympiad and declined to play in Dubai 8 years later

There was a lobby that the BCF should not send a team to Elista in 1998. A number of countries gave that Olympiad a miss, although that may have been down to logistal difficuties rather than a protest against the President of the Kalmyk repuvlic.