This from the Chessbase website:
The Minister of Sports and Culture in Norway, Mrs. Anniken Huitfeldt has announced that the Norwegian government will support The City of Tromsø’s bid for the Chess Olympiad in 2014. The Chairman of the Board of the Bidding Committee, Mr. Henrik Andenæs, states:
“The governmental support for the 2014 Olympiad of NOK 70 million (USD 12 million) represents a fundamental foundation to the further enhancement of winning the international bidding competition in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, October 2010. This grant from the Minister of Culture secures sufficient financial and political support. With the City of Tromsø as applicant city, we will deliver a high quality application in compliance with the FIDE (World Chess Federation) bidding conditions by the end of April 2010.â€
Former Vice President in FIDE and now international advisor for the Norwegian Bidding Committee, Mr. Morten Sand says: "The governmental support is very important. We are not sure which other countries will bid for the 2014 Chess Olympiad. Regardless of this, we will increase our efforts during the months to come, to make sure that the decision makers and the world of chess knows what Norway and the City of Tromsø has to offer – being elected as host for the 41st Chess Olympiad in 2014."
It's like another planet - while in England we struggle to find two dry sticks to make fire with.
2014 OLYMPIAD
-
Mike Truran
- Posts: 2428
- Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:44 pm
- Contact:
-
Matthew Turner
- Posts: 3617
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am
Re: 2014 OLYMPIAD
Mike,
You are right that there is a great deal of support from the Norwegian government for chess and there are a number of connections between chess and government officials (Simen Adgestein's ex-wife is an MP for example). However, the figure of $12m is somewhat misleading, the majority of this is to build the playing facilities that will then be used for other sporting activities. The recent government decision is primarily an undertaking to complete building work, that it is already commited to, in time for 2014.
Whilst we can look on wistfully at the Norwegians, we need not forget that the ECF is not without resources, £65,000 a year from the government and hundreds of thousands in various trusts and funds. The problem is that the ECF is completely incompetent at using resources and I doubt that we would notice the difference if the government gave them $12m tomorrow (I think this is probably hypothetical!)
You are right that there is a great deal of support from the Norwegian government for chess and there are a number of connections between chess and government officials (Simen Adgestein's ex-wife is an MP for example). However, the figure of $12m is somewhat misleading, the majority of this is to build the playing facilities that will then be used for other sporting activities. The recent government decision is primarily an undertaking to complete building work, that it is already commited to, in time for 2014.
Whilst we can look on wistfully at the Norwegians, we need not forget that the ECF is not without resources, £65,000 a year from the government and hundreds of thousands in various trusts and funds. The problem is that the ECF is completely incompetent at using resources and I doubt that we would notice the difference if the government gave them $12m tomorrow (I think this is probably hypothetical!)