Kasparov vs Ilyumzhinov: the FIDE Presidency battle begins

[Roger de Coverly]

It cites abuse of power by FIDE and kicks off with the Agon-Ilyumzhinov complaint to the Ethics Commission.

It's up to those being subject to the complaint to produce evidence in their defence, but as far as can be established about the ownership of Agon from public documents, the share capital was exclusively held by AP. I imagine the Ethics Commission would want sight of the Agon accounts, I doubt it has the power to compel these to be handed over.

Actually when you think about it, all the various Kirsan financed Companies could be a bit dubious. You can certainly argue that it's KI putting money into chess, rather than taking it out, but details of any future profit-sharing aren't known. It also offers an incumbent President scope for offering contracts etc. to those who would support him in future elections.

[JustinHorton]

Thing is though Roger, for as long as I can remember English chess has been notable for two characteristics:

(a) relentless hostility to FIDE leadership on the grounds of secrecy, ethical violations, disregard for proper procedures and so on;

Well I think you are a bit younger than me, but can I remind you that Campomanes became FIDE President in 1982 by exploiting the votes of new Federations. In 1986, free travel was available to the Olympiad in Dubai, but only if you agreed to vote the "right" way. The expansion of FIDE from the 1970s onwards was all very well, but it needed to be accompanied by voting reforms as one Federation, one vote leads to a system with the characteristics of 1830s Britain. So the views and preferences of individuals in small organisations have far more weight in voting effect than those in large ones.

I might agree with any or all of that, but none of it makes my (b) any the less true.

The CFC President is clearly in serious trouble for defying the wishes of a large number of CFC members. In desperation, he is resorting to misrepresentation of events here in England.

Misrepresentation of events here in England? The very thought.

[JustinHorton]

It cites abuse of power by FIDE and kicks off with the Agon-Ilyumzhinov complaint to the Ethics Commission.

It's up to those being subject to the complaint to produce evidence in their defence, but as far as can be established about the ownership of Agon from public documents, the share capital was exclusively held by AP. I imagine the Ethics Commission would want sight of the Agon accounts, I doubt it has the power to compel these to be handed over.

This reminds me of something I saw in New In Chess just this morning which puzzled me. It was a letter from John Roycroft referring to the accounts of the 1993 PCA match in London, suggesting that those accounts could usefully be published.

Anybody know what this is about?

(Genuine question, by the way. I could speculate, but I'd rather not.)

[NickFaulks]

Misrepresentation of events here in England? The very thought.

Just another example of foreigners taking our jobs, and he's not even EU!

[Roger de Coverly]

Misrepresentation of events here in England? The very thought.

The only two or perhaps three choices the ECF Board could have made on the FIDE elections without creating an almighty row would have been endorsement of the Kasparov ticket, voting for the Kasparov ticket or abstention. As shown with the lack of postings expressing outrage that the ECF has not elected to support or endorse the Kirsan ticket.

For what it's worth I think it could have made either choice on the ECU election, but AP's defence of the indefensible as far as Zurab was concerned didn't help that case.

[JustinHorton]

You're having something of a point-missing morning today, Roger.

Thing about the events in England is that there were people prepared to claim that the coup against Paulson was nothing to do with FIDE politics even while it was quite clear to everybody that it was.

[Roger de Coverly]

Thing about the events in England is that there were people prepared to claim that the coup against Paulson was nothing to do with FIDE politics even while it was quite clear to everybody that it was.

AP was warned before the election that the ECF position on FIDE was one of opposition to the continued KI Presidency. It was known that he was in a business relationship with FIDE, if not with its President and therefore potentially subject to conflict of interest. If he wanted a mandate to change the ECF's position, he had to gain the support of the voting membership for that proposition when standing for election. Whether he would have retained the support of his fellow directors if he had concentrated on domestic matters instead of starting or continuing a row with Nigel Short is unknown. It is plain though that the relationship between AP and the other directors had broken down within months of his election. He did after all make public accusations, firstly that Malcolm Pein and Nigel was agents of Kasparov and secondly that the ECF Directors were stooges of Malcolm.

[JustinHorton]

Not for the first time recently, I find myself observing that you can't have it both ways.

[Mick Norris]

It cites abuse of power by FIDE and kicks off with the Agon-Ilyumzhinov complaint to the Ethics Commission.

It's up to those being subject to the complaint to produce evidence in their defence, but as far as can be established about the ownership of Agon from public documents, the share capital was exclusively held by AP. I imagine the Ethics Commission would want sight of the Agon accounts, I doubt it has the power to compel these to be handed over.

Actually when you think about it, all the various Kirsan financed Companies could be a bit dubious. You can certainly argue that it's KI putting money into chess, rather than taking it out, but details of any future profit-sharing aren't known. It also offers an incumbent President scope for offering contracts etc. to those who would support him in future elections.

Mark Crowther of TWIC has detailed the substantial allegations against Kirsan - if anyone was interested in proof, speaking to Mark would tell them where to find it

I expect no-one will bother

[Nigel Short]

In case this has not appeared already http://www.kasparov.com/wp-content/uplo ... e-2014.pdf

[NickFaulks]

In case this has not appeared already http://www.kasparov.com/wp-content/uplo ... e-2014.pdf

This looks like a close parallel with the attempt in Dresden 2008 to mandate zero time defaults for all games. It should never have been mooted, and some people took it seriously who should have known better. Had it been actioned, it would have been very serious indeed.

Fortunately, the usual self-righting mechanism worked in both cases, and both ideas were thrown into the bin. All we are left with is a bad taste and some sullied reputations.

If Kirsan knows anything about this, I hope he can raise a smile at the idea that he has improperly profited financially from his involvement in chess. The true charge against him is that he has directed more money to chess than anyone else in history, and much of it has gone straight down the drain.

[NickFaulks]

I expect no-one will bother

Why can't links be given here?

[Roger de Coverly]

This looks like a close parallel with the attempt in Dresden 2008 to mandate zero time defaults for all games. It should never have been mooted, and some people took it seriously who should have known better.

Presumably you include the FIDE President in that.

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... ess#p18569

[NickFaulks]

Presumably you include the FIDE President in that.

Well done for that statement of the obvious. In the first case he was the prime mover, although I doubt that he grasped the full significance of what he was saying. As an aside, the fact that he was so easily overruled later gives the lie to the idea, popular on the forum, that he enjoys total autocratic power within FIDE.

On the AGON contract, I expect he was guilty "only" of his usual crime of signing things that are stuffed under his nose without paying attention to what they say. However, I do regard that as a very serious leadership flaw.

[Roger de Coverly]

As an aside, the fact that he was so easily overruled later gives the lie to the idea, popular on the forum, that he enjoys total autocratic power within FIDE.

All or nearly all official FIDE events including the Olympiad, are still on zero time default, are they not? So he has yet to be overruled on events FIDE nominally run.