There have been a lot of complaints about the Turin Olympiad such as horrible accomodations, poor food quality, lack of food, one hour line for food, disastrous website, etc.
Below is excerpts from from Men’s Team Captain John Donaldson, IA Carol Jarecki and US Champion Alex Onischuk:
John Donaldson: “Last night Gata arrived from Bulgaria. He took one look at the accommodations and decided he could not give his best efforts if he stayed in the Village. Accordingly he booked a room at the hotel across the street at his own expense for 60 Euros a night…”
“Last night there was an emergency meeting of the team captains organized by Bill Hooks, wife Mimi. Presently players have been waiting in lines for 30-40 minutes for food. The playing hall had only 7 toilets for 600 players the first two rounds.”
Carol Jarecki: “On the other hand, it has produced long lines in the cafeteria where everyone eats. Although meal times are exceptionally long, at least 3 hours for each meal, it seems that most people like to come at almost the same time.”
“The 3 Fitness Centers, for instance, are empty. I guess the authorities thought that chess players don’t need to exercise and all the equipment has disappeared. There are self-service laundromats but I don’t think they are functional yet. “
“Food–one of the primary considerations, is not quite up to the standards of Italy that onewould expect. The servers in the cafeteria are also required to ration out the portions. Iarrived on Friday morning and about the first person I met was GM Pentala Harikrishna, a friend from the Bermuda invitationals, who immediately complained about the inadequate amount of food he received. He had gotten his lunch, handed over his meal coupon, and was still hungry. I suspect this will change when enough people complain about it.”
“Unfortunately, we just discovered the time control for the games has not been changed from the previous Olympiad in Calvia. The council of GMs had requested a longer one but it remains at Game in 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Too fast also in my opinion.”
Alex Onischuk: “But it was a surprise for us to learn that there is no TV, refrigerators, phones, andcleaning services at the hotel! The Russian team, knowing that there might be some problems with the accommodations, staying at the different hotel. It is too bad that the FIDE delegates will not stay at the same place as all the teams and will not be able to feel the Olympiad flavor. Unfortunately, so far we are experiencing some problems with meals. You have to stay up to one hour in a line to get your food.”
“Today, for example, I had to spend 6 minutes to go to find restroom and stillc ould not get in because of the huge line! Opening Ceremony, first disappointment from the Olympiad. I was hoping that the experience with the Winter Olympic will help the organizers to do a good job with an opening ceremony. But instead we had booking and not well organized event. One of problem was with interpreter from Italian to English who did not do much translation at all. Why didn’t organizers find a professional interpreter? Many players did not stay till the end of the ceremony and were leaving it earlier.”
Do organizers of these huge events consult with those who in the past have held big international tournaments so that they can avoid these kinds of problems? I would think that a good organization would anticipate the needs of that many players and plan accordingly.
…and their website is worthless too!
Always the same stories…. Check out reports from many previous Olympiads.
By the way, is the Olympiad a profitable tournament for the organizer or not?
“But it was a surprise for us to learn that there is no TV, refrigerators, phones, andcleaning services at the hotel!” –Onischuk
You wash your clothes in the sink. You’re not in America. That’s the way those countries are.
“Last night Gata arrived from Bulgaria. He took one look at the accommodations anddecided he could not give his best efforts if he stayed in the Village. Accordingly hebooked a room at the hotel across the street at his own expense for 60 Euros anight…”
The accommodations were good enough for the winter olympic athletes. It’s not about providing luxuries for (a lot of) athletes. It’s about housing all the athletes in one place to cultivate a common sporting spirit.
actually, I change my mind. i remember some american winter olympic athletes complained about the accomodations too. however, those conditions sound liveable.
Refrigerators, phones, and TV are considered luxuries in Italy? That’s sad. I had no idea they were in such bad straits.
sorry, but I have to boo Kamsky. Kamsky should stay with his team.
sorry, but I have to boo Onischuk, for narking on Kamsky.
It sounds like they just became a 4th world country.
No telephones? Was that Onischuk or Steinitz that said that?
Maybe the players can stand outside with signs reading “Will Play Chess For Food”
(just kidding!)
“Refrigerators, phones, and TV are considered luxuries in Italy? That’s sad. I had no idea they were in such bad straits.”
Actually, it is odd that they don’t have those things in Turin, as Turin is a big industrial city. But in some of the backwaters of Europe you might not have such amenities.
Don’t worry, players are like little babies. Of course, you should bring your own sardines to the Olympics. Why depend on other cooks? The only real danger is food poisoning.
Italy is a country with all the comforts. The olympic village is designed to gather thousands of people for a short period. These people have to stay outside whole day. So the village is more like a youth hostel than a hotel. If you want to wash your clothes you can go to a laundry.
italy is culture pure – maybe it is a little hard for fastidious caucasian, african or asiatic emigrants – flushed to a glittering melting pot like – let’s say the US – coming back to find their roots NOT tv-shaped, NOT refrigerated and NOT fast-feed – my sympathy is with them …
(by the way – the live feeds on the offical side are working pretty well – the webside is informative and not worthless – anyone here around speaking or reading italian may confirm this – and – my opinion – there is no need to put everything to english or american-english … learn, learn, learn … it is an olympiad … )
sincerly – “the hun moron” – Vohaul
The Winter Olympic athletes had TV, fridge, phone in room and better meals.
The organizer explained simply ‘they had a bigger budget’.
@the last anonymous – profit is everything – we europeans learned that lesson – be sure!
but sometimes – sure enough, only sometimes – we apply our “pilgrims” their own remedy … ^^^
big smile – Vohaul – an european …
and this is – because we bear a grudge …
^^^ it’s me – your Vohaul – and i’m sarcastic – forgive me – please
Vohaul,
This is ‘last anonymous’ again. I think it is not about profit, just they can’t make too big a loss.
Olympiad budget is about 5 millions euro, but the free team accomodation has to be subsidised by over-charging the extra persons (70 euro a day per person), etc.
I think they have a excuse for accomdation facilites because its a olymipc village not a motel!! But They should provide sufficient food to everybody on time, for this they can’t have any excuse!!!
indeed – europeans can be very subtly!
(by the way – i’m not a member of the organizing committee – i’m not a member of any team, but i’m in love with ITALY – and the ways the today’s romans manage events is simply adorable – sometimes it is surprising – sometimes it is astonishing – sometimes it is ancient – of course…)
beloved your’s (@the last anonym) Vohaul
The food is really boring too. Breakfast the only hot item is scrambled egg made from pasteurised liquid egg.
Lunch and dinner they have really awful soup.
And all sorts of rules that if you have one of those you can’t have one one of these (soup and pasta, forget it).
But there are many places to eat around the village, with real pizza for example. So if you consider the money spent as a donation to bad catering and eat outside, its bearable.
And the organizers do respond to complaints and try to help. This is unlike a certain M. Touze, of Belfort World Youth fame, who just gave up.
scusi, sono tedesco non parlo italiano …
my english is inspired by my attempts and not by my abilities… hehe
a german “kraut, hun, friend!” – who has visited the us several times – and loves the people!
sincerly, Vohaul (german born)
Once the players sit at their boards, all is forgotten. e4, e5 Qh5 , go Nakamura!
dxfg
I try to translate some posts from
an Italian chess newsgroup in order
to let you know some italian opinions
about Turin Olympiad.
I’m not a professional interpreter
and english is not my mothertongue,
so I beg your pardon for my mistakes
(and starting in this way is probably
a confirmimation for those who criticized
the lack of professionality in
english translation at the opening
ceremony 🙂 ).
However I was not the interpreter
at opening ceremony and I have no role
in Olympiad organization.
I’m in Rome that is about 700 Km far from
Turin and I’m only a “chess enthusiast”
who sometimes plays in very low level
tournaments.
For those who know italian the following
discussion is available in the
italian newsgroup it.hobby.scacchi.
There’s a thread with subject
“Olimpiadi – Big chaos?”.
I don’t translate all the messages,
only some of them relevant to this blog.
— from it.hobby.scacchi (WARNING: very poor translation quality) —
message 1
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Rino Carrieri
* Subject: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 13:52:19 +0200
Any commentary about these news
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2006
/05/big-chaos-from-turin.html
#links ?
I think that for something similar, some passed edition
of GSS (italian chess champioship for students)
was termed “a scandal” in italian chess federation
environment.
message 2
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Mastrus
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 22:33:01 +0200
* Organization: TIN.IT (http://www.tin.it)
Reading information here and there, it seems that we’re in a
desperate situation. Are we already at the last place or did
someone do worse than us in the
past ?
message 3 (posted by Maurizio Mascheroni who is an
italian referee and is actually in Turin)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Maurizio Mascheroni
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 22:13:53 GMT
* Organization: [Infostrada]
accomodations are not horrible anyway.
food is of discreet quality.
we don’t lack food (and if this is in my opinion…)
Queues problems have been solved.
It seems that now the web site is doing its job.
There have been some problems in previous days,
not really one big problem but a lot of little problems
that now have been solved. It was not possible that
everything was perfect since the first day.
message 4 (posted by me answering to Maurizio Maskeroni)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Marco
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 07:33:20 +0000 (UTC)
* Organization: Mailgate.ORG Server – http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Remove this message View header
>>accomodations are not horrible anyway.
Probabily who is not in Turin cannot have a clear idea about this
subject. Furthermore
what is horrible for me could be nice for
other people.
However there are critics like:
“Last night Gata arrived from Bulgaria.
He took one look at the accommodations and decided he
could not give his best efforts if he stayed in the Village.
Accordingly he booked a room at the hotel across
the street at his own expense for 60 Euros a night…”
or
“…The Russian team, knowing that there might be some
problems with the accommodations, staying at
the different hote…”
that seems not to agree with you.
May be that players complaining abouth these things
are used to play in closed tournament with much money
so they don’t find the standars to which they’re used.
>> food is of discreet quality. we don’t lack food
>>(and if this is in my opinion…)
I would never expect italian food to be criticized,
althogh other things are “italian standards”.
There was no professional interpreter ?
This is not astonishing to me.
People have to stay hours in a queue
before they can do anything ?
This is not astonishing to me
All this is part of italian standards
in all fields and activities.
Nevertheless I would never expect reading:
“Food–one of the primary considerations,
is not quite up to the standards of Italy
that one would expect”.
message 5 (posted by Ettore Saccani answering to me.)
# Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
# From: Ettore
# Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
# Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 10:50:29 +0200
# Organization:
The problem is that you can’t expect a
“Gualtiero Marchesi like” treatment
in an olympic village where you cook 2000 meals
in a time.
Food is of discreet quality.
For sure we don’t lack food. The only real problem
were the queues. Now that problem is solved.
Lodgings are excellents, they’re new, clean,
with everyday “clean service” in rooms, rather big.
There’s an internet poin with PCs.
There’s a point with a very fast wireless network
(this is from where I’m currently writing),
about 20 playstations, chess boards everywhere,
laundry, market, you can have a massage
(I’ve an appointment in 1 hour :-), there’s a bar, boys
are playing soccer at evening in village gardens.
I’m asking: what the hell do you pretend ?
May be that Kramnik and Anand are used to stay in 5 stars hotels.
This is not a 5 star hotel but is comparable or even better
with respect to some hotels where you play tournaments
during your holidays.
All organization staff and volounteers are kind.
I find unbearable those who continuosly criticize letting
you know that everithing is wrong because
they heard a negative opinion… Stop it.
Here is people wants to stay together independently of policy
or religion. We fight only in chess boards.
Then we are all friends.
Live this good party spirit, please.
message 6 (posted by Giorgio Bertazzo,
answering to Ettore Saccani.
I translate only part of this message)
# Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
# From: Giorgio Bertazzo
# Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
# Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 11:53:12 +0200
# Organization:
On Thu, 25 May 2006 10:50:29 +0200, Ettore
wrote:
>>May be that Kramnik and Anand are used to stay in 5 stars hotels.
>>This is not a 5 star hotel but is comparable or
>>even better with respect to some hotels where
>>you play tournaments during your holidays.
Kamsky moved immediatly in a 60 Euro hotel.
I don’t know how good are agreements with hotels
but usually you have to pay much more than 60 Euro
for a 5 stars hotel.
>>All organization staff and volounteers are kind.
>>I find unbearable those who continuosly criticize
>>letting you know that everithing is wrong because
>>they heard a negative opinion… Stop it.
Unfortunately there’s not only one negative opinion
and I’m not able to remember so heavy disappoint
(may be only for some young tournaments in previous years)
If the situation is as you describe it
(and I don’t doubt it), could be interesting
to know what happened.
At least there has been a big misunderstanding.
We can talk about it or behave as if nothing happened
but some thing have already been read all over
the world.
message 7 (posted by Matteo zoldan answering to Giorgio Bertazzo)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Matteo Zoldan
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 14:15:01 +0000 (UTC)
* Organization: Mailgate.ORG Server – http://www.Mailgate.ORG
>>Kamsky moved immediatly in a 60 Euro hotel.
>>I don’t know how good are agreements with hotels but usually you have to pay much more than 60 Euro
>>for a 5 stars hotel.
May be that Kamsky was helped by “olimpic agreements”
otherwise with 60 Euro in Turin you can’t pay almost
any kind of hotel and if you find one for that price,
you’ll regret not to stay at the olympic village.
messagge 8 (posted by Maurizio Mascheroni answering to Matteo Zoldan)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Maurizio Mascheroni
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 06:26:57 GMT
* Organization: [Infostrada]
I don’t know where your information come from.
Kamsky is here at the olympic village.
message 9 (posted by me answering to Ettore Saccani.
I translate only the tail of message)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Marco
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 12:24:47 +0000 (UTC)
* Organization: Mailgate.ORG Server – http://www.Mailgate.ORG
I don’ t doubt that what you say is the truth,
but you should post your message in the blog of Susan Polgar.
message 10 (posted by Maurizio Mascheroni answering to me)
* Newsgroups: it.hobby.scacchi
* From: Maurizio Mascheroni
* Subject: Re: Olimpiadi – Big chaos?
* Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 06:42:06 GMT
* Organization: [Infostrada]
> I don’ t doubt that what you say is the truth,
>but you should post your message in the blog of Susan Polgar.
So write her. Do something. She and Mig based on
the first day where there were 2500 persons. There
have been some problems. Now things works.
——————————
So reading the last message I decide to post this in the blog,
Marco.