ACP Statement on Topalov-Kramnik Unification Match crisis
The situation arisen in the Topalov-Kramnik Unification Match brings a lot of damage to the image of chess. The Association of Chess Professionals will thoroughly analyse all the facts and express our opinion on the whole matter soon, but even right now we want to clearly stand that we find the letter written by Silvio Danailov, Manager to Veselin Topalov, on the 28th of September 2006 disgraceful. Especially a sentence “If the match were to continue, the World Champion would refrain from shaking hands with Mr. Kramnik before the games” is unacceptable. It is abusive, contradictive with the FIDE motto “Gens una sumus”, moreover, Mr Danailov not only accussed Mr Kramnik of cheating, without showing any serious evidence, but already found him guilty, prior to any investigation.
As the purpose of the ACP, as described by the Article 2 of the ACP Statutes, is “the protection of professional chess players’ rights, the practice and promotion of chess worldwide”, we strongly protest against behaviour of Mr Silvio Danailov, Manager to Veselin Topalov, and expect him to officially apologise to Mr Kramnik. Otherwise, we believe that the case should be carefully investigated by the FIDE Ethics Commission and proper measures taken to avoid such situations in the future.
Best regards
ACP Board
1st of October 2006
AMEN! Good to see such rational statements beginning to filter out!
Are Joel Lautier and Almira Skipchenko still heading this group? I have not followed chess for a long time (it was this stupid match that reeled me back in). From what I remember, they were trying to improve player conditions when working with local tournament officials. Have they had any success? Did they get any sponsors? Any reply is kindly appreciated.
No, they’re not heading this group. But they’re going nowhere. This was started together with Kramnik. He was behind it with Lautier who’s one of his best buddies. They have small sponsorship with no real direction.
of course the nutral ACP made their verdict…
And then people in this blog speak of fide as being biased… Bessel Kok, and ACP who are naturally close to Kramnik do not hesitate to take clearly the side of Kramnik in a way that obviously does not help to find a solution for the continuation of the match. But then this was never their concern. Kirsan will be the one that loses from the failure after all…
PS Not that I personally do not find Danilovs appeal insulting but in the past we have seen other players not shaking hands(eg Kasparov-Shirov). Plus there have been other things after that and people should comment on those. How about not playing a game and bringing the match to stalemate.
As for dignity. What about Kramniks request initially to have glass between the playing venue that the organisors accepted even if it wasn’t in the agreement and clearly somehow ofended Topalov. Or how about the comment about thinking the champions league instead of the game? (was clearly a statemnt designed to annoy Topalov) So Kramnik is not an angel..
I add here the opinion of someone that has been heavily attacked lately. Not that I support the appeal comitee, but it is better to hear their point of view for objectivity. (and in fact people seem more rational if you do hear them)
:
Georgios Makropoulos:
” I would like to inform you of the decision of the Appeals Committee and the efforts of the Organisers and FIDE undertaken in order to provide ideal conditions for both teams.
Before the match we had long negotiations with Messrs. Hensel and Danailov. We thought that we managed to provide best conditions. After the arrival of the participants, new requirements were tabled, which fulfilled to the satisfaction of both delegations.
Both sides have undertaken considerable efforts in order to exclude any possibility of using any external assistance to the players. I would like to say that FIDE is not sharing any fears regarding use of external assistance during the games, but our opinion here is not important – we should meet the players halfway, in order them to feel comfortably at the board and not to be afraid for fair play.
This was exactly the reason why the glass screen appeared on the stage following the request of Mr. Hensel. It is not included in the contract, but we satisfied the request of Mr. Hensel. It is possible that the other side felt hurt, but no decisions of FIDE could satisfy both teams in 100%.
When the match started, we have received a declaration from the team of Topalov with the request to get acquainted with the video recording from the restrooms. The Organisers provided all the materials, and based on these materials the team of Topalov produced an appeal, where they noted that Kramnik visits the toilet in his restroom with an unusual frequency.
They requested to close the toilets and restrooms and also provide the accredited journalists with the video recordings. At the yesterday’s meeting of the Appeals Committee we watched all the video recordings. Only the third game was recorded in full. There are recordings of one hour and a half from the first and second games and there is a blank of one hour and a half in the recording of the fourth game. We have found out that the team of Topalov exaggerated the number of Kramnik’s visits to the toilet.
However, the numbers are still unusually high. In the video recording which we got hold of, Kramnik visited the toilet 25 times. In the third game the number is 18. In the first two games, in one hour and a half – 11 or 12 times.
I would like to reiterate that we have no connection between the number of the visits to the toilet and possible use of some external help. We have requsted Mr. Hensel to comment on these numbers and received the explanation to the tune that Vladimir uses the toilet space for walking. According to the opinion of the Appeals Committee, this explanation is unsatisfactory, as Kramnik was staying each time 1 or 2 minutes in the toilet.
Once again I repeat, for us the most important thing is for the both players to feel protected from the use of the external help by their respective opponent. For the first time we are facing such strong suspicions from both sides. I think here there is some partial fault of the journalists who were actively speculating on this topic before the World Championship. Of course when you read on a regular basis about this, that it is so easy to cheat, you start to get worried.
We spoke to President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov before taking a decision regarding the appeal of Topalov’s team and the FIDE President himself proposed to close the toilets in the restrooms.
The other points in the appeal of Mr. Topalov were declined by us. It is resolved not to close the restrooms – they are equipped by the video cameras and are well watched by the Chief Arbiter. It was not in our authority to provide the journalists with video recording, as we thought that this is a violation of the player’s right for privacy.
Further to this, we received open letters from both sides. I would like to share my opinion with you. According to the contract, FIDE shall provide both players with a restroom and a toilet. It is obvious for us that the contract is not binding us to provide the toilet in the restroom, otherwise the sentence would read “a restroom with a toilet”. Therefore, the appeal of Mr. Hensel regarding this point of the contract are groundless.
I think this will be a terrible mistake if this match would remain in the sports history as the match stopped because of the toilets… It is bad for FIDE, bad for Kalmykia, bad for the Russian Chess Federation and its President Mr. Zhukov who made efforts to organize this great match and it is just terrible for chess. I hereby strongly request both players to continue the match.”
Georgios Makropoulos:
” I would like to inform you of the decision of the Appeals Committee and the efforts of the Organisers and FIDE undertaken in order to provide ideal conditions for both teams.
Before the match we had long negotiations with Messrs. Hensel and Danailov. We thought that we managed to provide best conditions. After the arrival of the participants, new requirements were tabled, which fulfilled to the satisfaction of both delegations.
Both sides have undertaken considerable efforts in order to exclude any possibility of using any external assistance to the players. I would like to say that FIDE is not sharing any fears regarding use of external assistance during the games, but our opinion here is not important – we should meet the players halfway, in order them to feel comfortably at the board and not to be afraid for fair play.
This was exactly the reason why the glass screen appeared on the stage following the request of Mr. Hensel. It is not included in the contract, but we satisfied the request of Mr. Hensel. It is possible that the other side felt hurt, but no decisions of FIDE could satisfy both teams in 100%.
When the match started, we have received a declaration from the team of Topalov with the request to get acquainted with the video recording from the restrooms. The Organisers provided all the materials, and based on these materials the team of Topalov produced an appeal, where they noted that Kramnik visits the toilet in his restroom with an unusual frequency.
They requested to close the toilets and restrooms and also provide the accredited journalists with the video recordings. At the yesterday’s meeting of the Appeals Committee we watched all the video recordings. Only the third game was recorded in full. There are recordings of one hour and a half from the first and second games and there is a blank of one hour and a half in the recording of the fourth game. We have found out that the team of Topalov exaggerated the number of Kramnik’s visits to the toilet.
However, the numbers are still unusually high. In the video recording which we got hold of, Kramnik visited the toilet 25 times. In the third game the number is 18. In the first two games, in one hour and a half – 11 or 12 times.
I would like to reiterate that we have no connection between the number of the visits to the toilet and possible use of some external help. We have requsted Mr. Hensel to comment on these numbers and received the explanation to the tune that Vladimir uses the toilet space for walking. According to the opinion of the Appeals Committee, this explanation is unsatisfactory, as Kramnik was staying each time 1 or 2 minutes in the toilet.
Once again I repeat, for us the most important thing is for the both players to feel protected from the use of the external help by their respective opponent. For the first time we are facing such strong suspicions from both sides. I think here there is some partial fault of the journalists who were actively speculating on this topic before the World Championship. Of course when you read on a regular basis about this, that it is so easy to cheat, you start to get worried.
We spoke to President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov before taking a decision regarding the appeal of Topalov’s team and the FIDE President himself proposed to close the toilets in the restrooms.
The other points in the appeal of Mr. Topalov were declined by us. It is resolved not to close the restrooms – they are equipped by the video cameras and are well watched by the Chief Arbiter. It was not in our authority to provide the journalists with video recording, as we thought that this is a violation of the player’s right for privacy.
Further to this, we received open letters from both sides. I would like to share my opinion with you. According to the contract, FIDE shall provide both players with a restroom and a toilet. It is obvious for us that the contract is not binding us to provide the toilet in the restroom, otherwise the sentence would read “a restroom with a toilet”. Therefore, the appeal of Mr. Hensel regarding this point of the contract are groundless.
I think this will be a terrible mistake if this match would remain in the sports history as the match stopped because of the toilets… It is bad for FIDE, bad for Kalmykia, bad for the Russian Chess Federation and its President Mr. Zhukov who made efforts to organize this great match and it is just terrible for chess. I hereby strongly request both players to continue the match.”
…to continue as long as Topalov and Danailov drop their absurd request to uphold the score with a false, meaningless, forfeited point that helps bring Topalov back into better contention for the title.
If the point is not given back, the tournament will not continue. There will remain two separate champions, one with a blot on his record that says he was losing the reunification match but he is still a world champion nonetheless.
Of course the ACP would endorse Kramnik since he started this org with Lautier. I believe Danailov that Kramnik is a real arrogant SOB.
ACP is just a front for Kramnik. Kramnik cheated by going to the toilet so much. It is cheating even if he did not get outside help with moves. It is cheating (and more disrespectful than not shaking hands) because it disturbs the opponent (against chess rules) and gives a statement that he can cheat any time he wants (which disturbs the opponent.
Kramnik in this whole thing is definitely WC for gamesmanship and propaganda.
Kramnik must play on from 3:2 – even Fischer had to take the default caused by himself not sitting down to play.
ACP is making a false statement.
“Mr Danailov not only accussed Mr Kramnik of cheating, without showing any serious evidence, but already found him guilty, prior to any investigation.”
In fact Mr. Danailov didn’t accuse Mr. Kramnik of cheating. He said there was no accusation. ACP lied.
But now that they mention that possibility, it is a good possibility. So many bathroom visits. And those followed by a remarkably large number of “Rybka” moves.
By the way in Game 2, where Kramnik played Bxf8 and White missed the forced mate with Rxg4+ , I wonder if Rybka showed Kramnik that Kxf8 was losing too. So it was a convenient time for Kramnik to make a “human” blunder.
I just don’t trust Kramnik now. If he played without the suspicious bathroom behavior, then I might start to trust again. I am surprised by the ongoing arrangements for the match, as they don’t seem to resolve the bathroom risk.
Excellent statement by ACP.
Why should Topalov want to shake hands with a man who treats him like Kramnik does?
i wouldn’t. Just get the games over with, but no reason to pretend there is mutual respect involved.
Also, what i’ve been saying all along that i doubt there was serious misdoings in Fide’s part, this is obvious from the statement of Makropoulos. It is just that the media has given a negative image of the whole Fide so people shut their eyes andd decide the worst about them automatically with the first opportunity to do so.
i notice this especially when people simply ignore things like Kramnik’s contract was not breached. They have already decided it was breached, because for example Seirawan said it was, so any statement it wasn’t, is blanked out and after a few seconds they continue like no one said anything relevant.
If they realized that the contract wasn’t breached, if they woke up to that reality, then they could start seeing other things too, like that Kramnik is not an innocent victim who just was after his “rights”.
Yes, and his toilet rights are extremely important.
“We have requsted Mr. Hensel to comment on these numbers and received the explanation to the tune that Vladimir uses the toilet space for walking. According to the opinion of the Appeals Committee, this explanation is unsatisfactory, as Kramnik was staying each time 1 or 2 minutes in the toilet.”
The question is: why i must to give a explanation about my “visit” in the toilet?!
This is unacceptable
Megalovic
ACP just point out who originated all that mess, no more no less.
danailov is continung insulting, baffling kramnik privacy, telling lies again and again, and feels then that kramnik is arrogant.
It’s a disgracefull that danailov act like the last moron, and that fide help him doing so, and that topalov doesn’t react for this.
what is curious, this neutral and fair blog, like some slaves sites one doesn’t react to correct the lies of danailov, but did nothing to rectify them.
The bad is done, the good is in the toilett, topalov’s name is so sadly put in poo…
chess doesn’t deserve that.
Kramnik’s explanation about his toilet visits is unacceptable because it is clearly a lie! He should’ve refused to explain if he was so inclined, but not lie that he uses the space to walk.
It’s obvious that Kramnik’s lie was designed to sound arrogant and disturb Topalov even more. Why else lie? Why not refuse to explain altogether if it’s a sensitive issue?
Hah, do you think Kramnik is some weak broken fool who can’t stand the world to know he has problems that require him to go to the toilet? That’s stupid, Kramnik is shrewd and cunning and not at all psychologically weak or at a disadvantage.
kehaar said…
Kramnik’s explanation about his toilet visits is unacceptable because it is clearly a lie!
So Kehaar, does this mean that you seriously believe that Kramnik was cheating? Do you think he is cheating?
Thats the whole point here, or do you not understand that?
If you think he is cheating, could you explain to us all why he got behind in both of the first 2 games, and then won on Topalovs blunders?
If he isn’t cheating, which is the belief of the vast majority of the chess world, then what business of anyone’s is it? He has to explain to you what he does in his private bathroom?
Danailov chose this issue to try and get Topalov back into a losing game simply because it is deeply personal to Kramnik. He knows Kramnik to be a very private man, who would find discussion of his private habits and medical condition unconscionable.
Nice way to win a game of chess….
Should the conflict and issues between 2 people start a World War. I find any following attacks by not directly related and involved parties not very smart, no matter what their personal convictions and views are. I hope you understand…