"I have great respect for him as an international figure. He made a huge contribution to the development of chess around the world. After he became the head of the Armenian Federation, such a small country’s team seems to have become a 3-Time Olympic champion.
Sargsyan, as president of the country, personally came and supported the team. I would like him to still keep the post of head of the Chess Federation. His authority helps me in the cause of chess development all over the world," Ilyumzhinov said.
FIDE head stated that Armenia is the only country in the world where chess is taught in schools as an obligatory subject. "Two years ago, we held a meeting of the FIDE presidential council with him as well as an international conference on the Chess in Schools programme. The relevant report was submitted to UNESCO. Armenia is the only country in the world where chess is an obligatory school subject," Ilyumzhinov noted.
"A month ago we opened the world's first International Chess Research Institute," Ilyumzhinov continued. "There, academic scientists study the influence of chess on the progress and development of child's personality, the development of the cerebral hemispheres and the way chess helps in the fight against autism, childhood cerebral palsy and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease."
29.04.2018
Ilyumzhinov: "I hope Sargsyan will remain the President of the Armenian Chess Federation"
FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov expressed the hope that former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will retain the post of President of the Armenian Chess Federation despite recent events.
The day before, against the backdrop of large-scale protests, twice elected president of Armenia Sargsyan resigned as prime minister of the country. Sargsyan also headed the Armenian Chess Federation.