17.08.2016

Ilyumzhinov: "Science has not yet invented a pill against stupidity"

- Kirsan Nikolaevich, what kind of a doping is used in chess? Do chess players pass doping tests as well as other athletes?

- My colleagues from other sports federations say: "Kirsan, you're lucky, your players do not need to pass the tests." However, we do. We are grateful to former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who made sure that chess was recognized as sports in 1999. Nevertheless, after we had been recognized, all chess players are passing the dope tests.

On the other hand, what is the chess doping? If science had invented a pill that would allow one get smarter, there would be long queues at the drug stores.
When we started to work with WADA, the biggest problem was to determine what is doping. What does improve the mental performance? We have adopted the entire dope list made for the athletes. More than 20 cups of coffee is a dope. Alcohol is also a dope.
It is no secret that in the past some outstanding chess players would not start playing without a glass of brandy. That acted as a stimulus. However, there is variety of drugs that are considered a dope today.