30.06.2017

FIDE head: "I hope a new chess genius like Magnus Carlsen will emerge in Ugra"

- Kirsan Nikolayevich, for the first time World Championships among men and women were held in the same place - in Khanty-Mansiysk. How do you assess the organization of the tournament?

Firstly, I would like to thank the Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk District Natalia Komarova. I met with her and we shared our impressions. I also would like to thank the President of the Ugra Chess Federation Vasily Filipenko for preparing, organizing and conducting the championship.

FIDE’s recent goal is to combine men's and women's tournaments. But this involves a slight discrimination -- women take part in men's tournaments while men do not participate in women's.
We plan to hold similar competitions in Ugra in the future. By the way, the Ugra Chess Academy has one of the first chess palaces in the countries that are part of FIDE.
Ugra has a rich chess tradition. In 2010, we held there one of the best Olympics in the history of FIDE in respect of the quality of its organization and uniqueness and splendour of official ceremonies. It is no coincidence that delegates of the last FIDE Congress unanimously voted to host another World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2020.
In Ugra, there are all conditions that meet the high demands of international sports organizations. Every inhabitant of Khanty-Mansiysk has deep feeling for chess. The programme "Chess in schools" is especially successful here.
A child prodigy and an outstanding chess player Magnus Carlsen was raised in another northern country -- Norway. Therefore, we hope that there will emerge a new chess genius like Carlsen in Ugra too. By the way, Magnus, as my nominee, began to make his great chess career in Ugra by participating in the World Cup in 2005.

- Is it possible that World Chess Olympiads will be repeatedly held in Ugra?
I would love to hold all chess tournaments in Ugra. There are both the highest sport level and a special warm chess aura. I think that chess players would agree to come here at any time.