Solberg in stalemate over Russian chess match
Published: 18 Sep 2014 00:15 GMT+02:00
Updated: 18 Sep 2014 00:15 GMT+02:00
Prime Minister Erna Solberg has declined attending the Chess World Championship in Sochi this November, it was announced on Wednesday.
Solberg wrote in a letter to the International Chess Association: “I regret that the current international circumstances do not allow me to attend a sports event in the Russian Federation.”
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was re-elected as president in the International Chess Association (FIDE) during the Chess Olympiad in Tromsø in August. Last week he sent a formal invitation to the Norwegian Prime Minister to be present during the championship.
In the invitation Erna Solberg was also asked to make the first move in the first match of the Chess World Championship in the Russian Olympics city. The World Championship will begin on November 7th and run until November 28th.
This year, as last year, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen will meet Viswanathan Anand of India in the fight for the World Champion title.
Carlsen was unhappy with the choice of Sochi as the World Championship host city and considered for a long time not showing up to defend his title.
Solberg wrote in her answer to Ilyumzhinov: “I enjoyed our recent meeting at the Chess Olympiad in Tromsø and want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your re-election as President of FIDE.”
The Norwegian head of state then declined the invitation to attend a sports event in a country that the West have introduced sanctions against in connection to the conflict with Ukraine.
Source: http://www.thelocal.no
Let Nakamura play then.
So you suggest that Nakamura is invited to make the first move of the Carlsen-Anand match – now that the Norwegian Prime Minister has declined? 🙂 Somehow I don’t think Nakamura would want that either …
Nakamura can only play poker…even this not on high level…
Nakamura can only play poker…even this not on high level…
It is the correct decision in the current circumstances.
Mrs Solberg will be warmly welcome in Russia when we have Alexei Navalny as President of Russia and Garry Kasparov as FIDE President!
Meanwhile, I ask everyone to go out on Peace March on 21st September 4 p.m. to demand an end to Russian invasion in Ukraine. We can stop the war!
considering her great enthusiasm to hold the WC in norway what else one would expect. She does not want sochi but want sochi money..huh..can she spell chess?
Angela merkles lost sister..
“Let Nakamura play then.”
Huh? So because the Norwegian prime minister won’t be there, Nakamura should be allowed to play?
If Carlsen had withdrawn, Karjakin would be playing instead….
no photo op avbl in sochi like tromso.. so she will not be there.. yeah she cares about chess.. gimme me a break. of all the WC .. MC has been treated the most poor in his home country..forget walking the talk talks.. Even in US where chess ranks very low in terms of news content.. Fischer was respected.. MC is Fischer caliber.. I am annoyed with Norway and most importantly with MC’s Managers..
I think Naka’s Mother/brother should be banned from trolling..