The United Kingdom of Many Sporting Entities?
GM Jonathan Rowson (Scotland) recently discussed this topic here. Below is the counter view from GM Nigel Short who resides in Athens, Greece:
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has five federations in FIDE (England, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and Guernsey) and not four, as stated by some of your readers. Actually it even has six, if you count the British overseas territory of Bermuda. However Bermuda has a different status in that it is recognised as a separate entity by the IOC, which therefore qualifies it for FIDE membership. Thank goodness, for otherwise we would have nowhere to party at Olympiads. Note that Northern Ireland has no representation at all (nor the Isle of Man, Alderney and Sark for that matter), nor has any prospect whatsoever of obtaining it, under current FIDE regulation.
The situation is absurd, anachronistic, and profoundly discriminatory. It is a pity that my compatriot, the three-times British Champion, Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson, appears not to appreciate his citizenship. At least his fellow Scotsman, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, does. Jonathan is normally highly intelligent, and I know from private discussions with him from the UK versus China match, where we played side by side – as indeed we should – that on those moments when he is capable of placing his intellect before his emotions, even he realises the exceptional weakness of his argument. It is the UK that is a member of the United Nations and the IOC. England, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and Guernsey are not – they are simply parts of that same country.
Click here to read the entire interesting article on ChessBase.
What can we say about Short? He has a way with words.
This is indeed profoundly discriminatory. England, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and Guernsey are just one country, yet they have five votes in FIDE and get to send five teams to the Olympiads.
They should be allowed to have only one team and one vote, like other countries have.
All entities in Great Britain should separate, then no problem. Then they can organize more GM tournaments with players from aborad living next door, so no cost for organizer.
US should do the same and divide into 20-40 countries. Then less costs for paying campaigns for Hilary.
Well, it is the same with, say, soccer. Separate teams for Wales, England, Scotland, …
In Chinese Chess World Championships USA has more than one team: USA East USA West. UK has only one. Canada has three(?) teams: Canada West, East, Central. I don’t know what is the logic of this either.
Ultimately these sports organizations are pretty arbitrary. I’m NOT surprised that chess with FIDE hasn’t addressed this – the leadership has never been one that favored open consistent application of any rule. But I am surprised that FIFA hasn’t acted – at the behest of the UK football teams…
I’d be surprised if any Scottish player would be willing to play along Englishmen – and vice versa, of course.
The situation is indeed ridiculous.
The UK should not be split up. She is on the whole a good for the world. As a united country, she played a great part in resisting aggressors such as Napoleon, the Kaiser and Hitler. It is doubtful if England alone could have successfully resisted these.
If we are going this way, it could be noted that Cornwall also has no representation. Cornwall, a Celtic (not Anglo-Saxon) nation has never formally, legally been incorporated into England. I wonder what Michael Adams thinks of this? Michael Adams Board 1 for Cornwall!
Equally ridiculous is the name ‘United Kingdom’ for a country. What if the UK decides to get rid of its useless bludging monarchy? What should it be called then?
The UK also makes a great mistake being in the European Union – an ungrateful outfit. Would any of the countries in this outfit help the UK if she was in trouble?
She should get out and form an economic union with her flesh & blood and common language countries Canada, Australia, New Zealand and USA. It is ridiculous that descendants of emigrants from the UK to those countries are classed as ‘aliens’ and are not allowed to live or work in Britain more than a short time, while the real aliens from continental Europe can do this as long as they like. Just crazy.