India supports Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
Regional countries join in the count, Moldova makes the count 88 countries
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) announced its backing of the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, for the office of the President of FIDE at a press conference on Thursday, reports The Hindu.
D.V. Sundar, Honorary Secretary, AICF, presented FIDE President Ilyumzhinov with a letter, confirming the Indian Federation’s support of the Russian’s candidature. The presidential elections for FIDE will be held at Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, this September.
Interacting with the press, Sundar said, “The AICF is honoured to extend its support to Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s campaign to get re-elected.”
Ilyumzhinov, the President of the Republic of Kalmykia of the Russian Federation, has been heading the World Chess Federation for the last 15 years and it was during his tenure that the splintered chess fraternity unified in 2006.
“But for him (Ilyumzhinov) FIDE would have collapsed” said Sundar, commending Ilyumzhinov’s achievements during his decade and a half reign as the President.
“India supported my candidature 15 years ago when I first ran for office and it is an honour again,” said Ilyumzhinov.
Ilyumzhinov proceeded to interact with Krishnan Sasikiran, B. Adhiban, G.N. Gopal, S.P. Sethuraman, S. Vijayalakshmi and other chess professionals who had attended the function.
India is currently classified in Zone 3.2 of Asia, and AICF’s long-standing demand for a separate zonal classification neared fructification.
Ilyumzhinov announced, “I am happy to be here at the behest of the AICF and I would like to take this opportunity to confirm that FIDE will endorse India’s proposal to be considered as a separate zone in the upcoming General Assembly meeting.”
The move to make India a separate zone (a status which countries like Russia and China currently enjoy) will make the achievement of requisite norms easier for players, while also enhancing the status of tournaments in the country.
Sundar also confirmed that other federations from the sub-continent including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal will back Ilyumzhinov.
Moldova also supports Ilyumzhinov
Moldova has also joined the count of countries supporting Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, making the total supporting nations 88. The camp of the current FIDE President will soon announce more countries that join the team, expecting a larger number before the FIDE elections in Khanty Mansiysk.
Here is the letter of the Moldova Chess Federation.
The Moldova Chess Federation has officially announced its participation in the 39th Chess Olympiad, which shall take place in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
Starting from 1992, the Republic of Moldova has been participating in all Chess Olympiads. The 39th Chess Olympiad is historic not only for chess players, but also for FIDE, as the Olympiad is concurrent with the elections in the International Chess Federation.
In this connection, the Moldova Chess Federation officially announces the support for their candidate at the FIDE Presidential elections.
Expressing deep respect to World Champion Anatoly Karpov, the Moldova Chess Federation, nevertheless, preserves, its position of the last 14 years, supporting the incumbent FIDE President, Mr. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has been participating actively in the Moldova chess life all these years.
With the support of the FIDE President, Kishinev has hosted an interzonal women’s tournament (1995), 68th FIDE Congress (1997), European Women’s Individual Championship (2005) and other events. The historic moment for the Moldova chess community was an agreement between the Government of Moldova and FIDE to construct a chess palace in the city of Kishinev for holding international events of the highest level.
The Moldova Chess Federation is confident that the re-elected FIDE leadership shall provide a prosperous future for our national chess community and chess world as well as to all chess players of the world.
Gens Una Sumus.
Vladimir Molozhen President Chess Federation Republic of Moldova
The election is over.