Veselin Topalov’s Manager Comments on Disqualification Demands
22 December 2006 12:52 FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. “The demand by Kramnik’s manager Carsten Hensel for disqualification of Veselin Topalov is another attempt at rejecting our invitation for a world chess championship title match in April next year in Sofia,” Silvio Danailov, manager of Veselin Topalov said. According to him, Kramnik’s team again makes scenes of the type, “The thief calls out: Get the thief.”
“May FIDE tell the public why it didn’t publish the photos showing the cables in the toilet of the Russian and the documents proving their existence and signed by the chairman of the Organization Committee Valeriy Bovaev.
The resignation of the second Committee of Appeal, whose members wanted to leave Elista because of the cables, was deliberately concealed,” Topalov’s manager said. He called on FIDE’s Ethic Commission to demand from the Organization Committee the records of the rooms of the two chess players, which showed Kramnik’s unusual toilet visits.
The staff of the Bulgarian chess master will send today all available documents from Elista to FIDE’s headquarters.
Yeah, well, it’s all because noone layed 1.e4. 1.d4 gives headeches.
The Kramnik team continues its unnsavory tactics…. part-II.
The whole interview with Hensel is in Topalov’s site….
And also Danailov’s comments. Things are getting hot around there.
It was high time to act. Kramnik must be disqualified for cheating and the match for WCC replayed between Topalov and Anand.
I have to say one thing to everyone who thinks there is a huge conspiracy, and to those who think Topalov is making things up…
Please don’t go to extremes without taking a look at both sides. I am from Bulgaria and I am very proud that the No 1 player in the world is from my country. As a chess fan, however, I don’t like this charade any more than yourselves. However, as history shows us, Kremlin would go to extremes to achieve their goals. This does not mean that Kramnik cheated, but if he did, I certainly know i would be scared to reveal it to the world if i was in Topa’s place. Now that the cat is out of the bag, and the accusations have gone public, Danailov should just present whatever proof he has of misconduct. As we all saw not long ago, Kramnik could not be the strongest player in the world if he lost to Fritz, running on a regular desktop PC… and with a mate in ONE..
Anyway, I digress….Fellow chess fans, let us cool off, and let this mystery unravell itself. I guarantee you that it will come to a conclusion sometime soon. If you are eastern european, you’ll know how these things work there. Its all about backdoor politics. So let things take their course, and let us observe withouth trying to sully anyone’s good name. Topalov is a great guy and i have met him personally. He would not say the things he did if they were unfounded. I hope this post opens some people’s eyes. And if you contiue to post insulting the players, their respective managers, than there is nothing anyone can do about your ignorance. This is a place where respectable people come to talk about chess.. If you wish to gossip and lay accusation, please go elsewhere
>>It was high time to act. Kramnik must be disqualified for cheating and the match for WCC replayed between Topalov and Anand. >>
Unfortunately, in the real world, judgments are usually based on facts and evidence, rather than on which party the judge happens to like better. There’s no proof Kramnik cheated. There’s conclusive proof that Topalov has broken FIDE Ethics Rules on multiple occasions and should be banned from rated play. Accusing the FIDE President of being a willing accomplice to cheating should be enough to get Topalov banned for life, like Ricardo Calvo. If it doesn’t happen, count yourselves lucky, but don’t look to see him in any championship events any time soon. He’s simply not fit.
Susan, for all of her many virtues, has one annoying habit; that of publishing rebuttals to things without publishing the thing being rebutted.
So it is here. We see Topalov’s response to Hensel’s demand, but we don’t see the demand. The link to the new story doesn’t make clear what the demand was. It states that it was a demand for a disqualification of some sort, but then immediately tries to change the subject.
As a result, it seems completely impossible to see what it was that Hensel demanded. Disqualification from what? Mexico City? Topalov is already out of that. A denial of his challenge? That’s already invalid anyway, under the 6 month rule. Disqualification of Topalov from rated play for ethics violations? Maybe, but I hate to just assume that.
How can we possibly evaluate Hensel’s demand if we don’t know what it is? This blog entry is only of use to people for whom the facts don’t matter, which is not really the right group to cater to.
topa big crybaby.
Here are the parts missing from the story:
Hensel’s demands can be found on Veselintopalov.net:
http://www.veselintopalov.net/article/team-kramnik-replies
Hensel is indeed trying to get Topalov banned from rated play, for violations of the FIDE Ethics Code. That Ethics Code can be found here:
http://fide.com/official/handbook.asp?level=A10
Notice particularly, Rules 2.2.9 and 3.2:
2.2.9 Players or members of their delegations must not make unjustified accusations toward other players, officials or sponsors. All protests must be referred directly to the arbiter or the Technical Director of the tournament.
3.2 Anyone acting in contravention of this code can be excluded from participation in all FIDE tournaments or from specific types of tournaments for a period of up to 3 years. Weight shall be given to the type of violation and to any previous violations in decided upon the length of the exclusion period.
On this score, Topalov is undenianbly guilty. He may not get the full three years, but some sort of suspension is definitely in order. The only question is how long should he be out. On the one hand, this is a first offense. On the other hand, it’s a repeated offense, perpetuated about a half dozen times since the end of the match.
What’s likely to do the most damage to Topalov is this exchange, from his abc.es interview:
What do you think of President Ilyumzhinov?
Topalov: He’s a businessman and he simply needed to have a Russian champion. It’s nothing personal. He got the order.
Accusing players or sponsors without evidence is one thing. Accusing the FIDE President himself of complicity in a crime without evidence is likely to cost Topalov dearly.
To anyone here, it is worthwhile reading the article on http://www.veselintopalov.net/article/team-kramnik-replies.
There is considerable backpedalling going on.
“veselintopalov.net never published parts from the mentioned interview in ABC. It is not authentic and the words just paraphrase what Mr. Danailov has said. Veselin himself never said directly a word against Mr. Hensel or Mr. Kramnik in Bilbao. He made many comments on the match, he mentioned that there were strange things in Elista, but nothing more.”
So the ABC interview, which was only published on the website, never happenned.
Or they went too far, spoke to their lawyers, and are undertaking damage control.
Please remember that Kramnik was able to take the chess title from Kasparov when the latter was at his top chess strength. Why would a man who could do that feel the need to cheat in order to beat Topalov, though a strong player, is no Kasparov? I think the charges from Topalov’s team are crap. They are unproven, have no credible evidence and stink of sore loserism (I know, there’s no such word). I don’t think Kramnik should ever have to defend his title against this jerk again. Topalov lost the privilege by his actions. Unless Topalov apologizes and admits there was no cheating, then Kramnik should have to defend his title against anyone but Topalov!
It is very interesting to watch as the fans of the game which is based on logic don’t even try to use it when discussing this match. If Putin ordered to have russian champion, why on the earth Ilumzhanov allowed to close toilets and gave a point to Topalov. When Putin ordered to do it? Before the match? In this case I assure you that KGB would find better ways to cheat than to put a cable that could be easily found. After the 5th game? Then how Kramnik managed to put this cable there before the match? Also, look at the russian coverage of the match. They never tried (before the toiletgate) to make a villian from Topalov. After the match I decided to look at russian chess program that gave daily reports from Elista (www.etvnet.ca has it, but you have to pay a little bit to do it). They were comparing Topalov with Tal, who was not the guy who is the hardest to beat, but probably the most loved of all russian World Champions.
Hahahaha!
I never knew Danailov and Sam Sloan were related….
I would be very surprised if Kramnik really cheated, rather he put at work all psichological tricks he knew to ennerve the opponent – arrival for a game in the last minute, deliberate long absences from the board, things like that.
As for the argument that Kramnik has no need to cheat against Topalov or anyone else because he has beaten Kasparov in 2000 – well, it was quite some time ago when Kramnik was above 2800 and did not ovelook mates in one or in three.
I hope this after-match saga would stop at some point, the sooner the better.
I suggest to ban Danailov of chess management for three years (or forever?) and Topalov for a half year just to restore his normal helth conditions.
IG
It is very nice to see that Susan now removes comments not favorable to her.
Good job, Susan!
This is so unusual to see cables in a building wall in the 21 century. Even if there was a jack (there was no one), what would Vlad connect it to?
By the way, computer network cards using regular electric power cables as communication channels, are already a commodity. Should we demand now players to play in the dark, and all electric circuitry to be removed from walls?
Even if this interview is a setup, there were many other talks by Veselin and Silvio on the matter to ban them both. Topalov said the title is worthless for him, he just plays for money. Therefore the ban should not be the big hit for him. They can continue selling those funny toilet seats they are so happy about.
Vlad,
You’re welcome to post but my policy from day 1 is no false info. I have explained my position dozens of times. I am not defending either of them. Their match and behaviors were embarrassing.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Dear Susan,
If you believe one of my statements was false, I’d like to know which one.
That you are friend of Topalov?
That Mig is friend of Kasparov?
That your opinion on the matter is biased?
Thanks.
Vlad,
I am a colleague of Kramnik. Kasparov, Topalov and hundreds of other GMs and professionals. I have no interest in either of the players. I am very disappointed with both sides. I also do not have any interest in Kasparov’s political ambition.
As for Mig, he is a good friend to Garry. I like Mig even though I disagree with many things he said.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Danailov keeps digging Topalov’s grave deeper and deeper.
I know only of Mig 21 .
An awesome millitary aircrafter.
The 3 major points in the new Danailov’s accusations in answer to the call for banning his client are:
1. That there is a documents proving the existing of UTP cable which is signed by the chairman of the organization committee Mr. Valeriy Bovaev.
Comment: I think this is highly probable: do you remember that during the match crisis talks the organisers proposed to demolish and rebuild the resting rooms, but the Bulgarian side declined? Probably the cable existed and was documented.
2. That FIDE has concealed from the public eye the precedent with the cable.
Comment: We did not hear from FIDE officials about any cables so far. Is it important to make public and explain such an incident on the background of increasing fears of computer-aided cheating in general? Yes, it is important and if the cable existed the fact it has not been made public, shows at least week leadership and smells of manipulation of the truth (half truth is not a truth)
3. That there were resignations of the second appeal committee related to the found cable, which resignations also have been concealed by the FIDE.
Comment: If there were resignations of the First committee then the Second Committee that means the match is totally flowed. The fact that the Russian and Bulgarian side have expressed the will to continue the match should have not been enough to continue, the match should have been cancelled due to lack of provision for safe conditions for fair play and a new match should be called at neutral territory with much more professional organisation.
What I think about this mess:
It these accusations turned to be true, there should be heads rolling in FIDE for compromising very basic duties and rules.
As for the intention to stop Topalov playing chess for 3 years: well, it is ridiculous, because all the ethical code of FIDE refers to is how players behaviour during the matches and tournaments, it does not refer to their public expressed views in interviews after the events. Otherwise, it would breach of the most important right of every citizen to speak out his/her (true or false) opinion, wouldn’t it? Kramnik, if he wants, could sue Topalov for a civil verbal offence in a Spanish court, but his intention to deny the adverse opinions of his former opponent through using the FIDE machinery is too much. Besides, it smells to some well-known rotten manners from the old Soviet times when they used such international organisations to shut-up the mouth of their most ardent and “offending” opponents.
>>It is very interesting to watch as the fans of the game which is based on logic don’t even try to use it when discussing this match. If Putin ordered to have russian champion, why on the earth Ilumzhanov allowed to close toilets and gave a point to Topalov.>>
Excuses for defeat in chess are legendary, and have never been bound to logic. When Tarrasch claimed blamed his defeat on the sea air, even though the match was played a hundred miles inland, did that make any sense? Now Topalov says that a group of officials that broke the rules in his favor was actually biased against him. Is that any more nonsensical than Tarrasch’s excuse?
But at least in the past, people have confined themselves to excuses that didn’t risk getting them banned from the game. Topalov is breaking new ground there.
“The Kramnik team continues its unnsavory tactics…. part-II.”
Yeah, they won’t even let Topalov get away with breaking the ethics rules any more. Talk about hitting below the belt.
Perhaps Topalov’s and Danailov’s accusations and insults do not violate any FIDE rule.
This then leaves all FIDE event organizers to not invite Topalov to any rated event for a period of 3 years: a de facto ban.
I find the answer of the Kramnik team disappointing. They should press for an inquiry to prove that nothing wrong was done, and let FIDE decide on the course of action. I don’t see what is gained in asking for Topalov disqualification, rather than supporting Danailov’s allegation that Kramnik doesn’t want to play him.
>> 2.2.9 Players or members of their delegations must not make unjustified accusations toward other players, officials or sponsors. All protests must be referred directly to the arbiter or the Technical Director of the tournament.
3.2 Anyone acting in contravention of this code can be excluded from participation in all FIDE tournaments or from specific types of tournaments for a period of up to 3 years. Weight shall be given to the type of violation and to any previous violations in decided upon the length of the exclusion period.
Those rules are taken out of context. They are in force during a tournament or match and have no force out of it. By citing such rules out of context you are in violation of truth, which means that you deliberately lie.