To the President of FIDE Mr K Illumzhinov
To the Organisation Committee of the match for the world chess championship V Kramnik – V Topalov, Elista
Declaration of the Russian Chess Federation
The Russian Chess Federation expresses its regret that Grandmaster Topalov (Bulgaria), in his match for the world championship against Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), should have resorted to incorrect methods of behaviour. Such events should be decided in an honest struggle at the chessboard, and not by poring over video footage of Kramnik in his rest room, and counting how many times he visits the toilet. The protest by the Topalov team reflects the weakness of their playing position in the match.
The Russian Chess Federations demands:
– The cancellation, as being unethical, of the decision of the Appeals Committee to allow the video footage of the players’ rest rooms, taken by the judges, to be made available to the members of the two players teams. This is because we believe such action is a breach of the privacy of the players, and also allows the opposing team to see how the player thinks and reacts to his opponent’s moves.
– The cancellation of the decision of the Appeals Committee to close the individual toilets attached to the players’ rest rooms.
– The replacement of the members of the Appeals Committee.
That the match Kramnik-Topalov be continued, with the score 3-1 in favour of Kramnik, under the exact conditions in which the match was started. The Russian Chess Federation hopes that the President of FIDE and the Organisation Committee will act wisely and not allow the Topalov team to terminate a match, which has begun badly for them.
The Russian Chess Federation
Translation: Steve Giddins 
What else would they say
Does anyone know about the historical/current power relations between Russia and Bulgaria?
My ignorant assumption is that after the break-up of USSR, Blugarians can finally express their anger with Russians, which is very deep-seated, but Russia as a nation is still influential to the ex communist countries and if it (with Putin) really wants to back up Kramnik as a nation, it can exert a considerable political pressure on Blugaria. As someone who needs to suck up (?) to Putin, the Fide President would be really in a bind (i.e Russia for Kramnik, the FIDE for Topalov).
Would anyone have any say on this?
Bulgarians don’t need to “express anger” at russians.
What for? Cause Churchill and Roosevelt “sold” Bulgaria on a piece of toilet paper in Teheran? Or because Russia freed us from Turks? back in 19th century all western “Great Powers” were against independant Bulgaria.
And I doubt Putin will increase gas-prices again just because of the match.
But if he says “jump”, Iliumjinov will jump… or can easily be find guilty for murdering his old grandmother, or anything.
I always thought ex communist nations were all angry with Russians because of the oppresive control they experienced in the socialist era from kremlin. I am really ignorant.
Also, I thought the FIDE President had met and talked with Putin a number of times about this World Championship match and it will be an embarassment for Russia (or Putin) if the match is stabotaged by the “Blugarian visitors”, accusing the classical Russian champion for cheating. (Remember, to boot, that classical chess champions have been all Russians since Botovnik with the only exception of Fischer. Why would they have to give away the respectable title for non-russians so easily?)
So you still think it will not develop into a political issue at all?