For what reason has the President of FIDE, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov persistently tries to include chess in the Olympic Games programme? The answer is simple: “this sport needs more attention from the world's leading countries,” experts say in the online article from ‘chess-portal.net’ .
Already there have been repeated attempts to make chess an Olympic sport. For example, before the Sochi Olympics, the IOC were not very enthusiastic about the idea, basing its refusal on the fact that only competition sports taking place on ice or snow were allowed to participate in the Winter Games. This did not deter Ilyumzhinov. “There was no harm in trying,” he said. And that it was, “too early to give up the Olympic chess ambitions.”
It is a mystery why the Olympic officials disregard this ancient game. Nevertheless, sometime in the near future there is hope that the organization of chess tournaments and the training of new talents will be as important for the leading sports counties as the training of football or hockey stars.
FIDE still has to hold its own biennial Chess Olympic Games. For the authorities of most countries, Russia included, these tournaments rank lower in importance than the Winter or Summer Olympics. Therefore, funds for the development of chess are being invested on a residual basis.
