24.06.2015

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Welcomes the Outcome of Negotiations With Thomas Bach

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will continue their dialogue on the inclusion of chess in the Olympic programme.
«Today FIDE handed over the documents on the inclusion of chess in the Olympic programme to the  IOC President Thomas Bach.  The IOC should examine these materials within two months. We agreed to continue the dialogue in August this year, «- said the president of FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov yesterday.
According to him, the idea of the inclusion of chess in the Olympic programme was «accepted positively.»  "The great advantage of it is that there’s no need to build anything exclusive to hold the chess tournament at the Olympic Games.  The competitions can be made in hotels", said the President of FIDE.

As stated by Ilyumzhinov, the leaders of the Chess Federations of 140 countries are the members of the National Olympic Committees. «In fact, chess played an active role in the Olympic movement for a long time.  Chess was included in the Pan-Asian, Pan-African and Pan American Continental Olympic Games.  Therefore, a several dozen of the National Olympic Committees asked Thomas Bach to include chess in the big Winter Olympic Games».
On 22nd of June, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov paid a working visit to Lausanne, Switzerland where he held talks with the head of the IOC.
Together with Ilyumzhinov, who led the FIDE delegation, the Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos, the Treasurer Adrian Siegel, the CEO Geoffrey Borg, the President Assistant Berik Balgabaev and the former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik participated in the talks.
The IOC side was represented by Thomas Bach, the IOC CEO Christophe de Kepper, the IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell and the IOC Deputy Director General Pere Miro.