02.04.2020

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov: On the one hand, Rajabov was right, and on the other hand, FIDE is the highest authority

Former FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has expressed his opinion about the Candidates Tournament, in which Azerbaijani chess player Teymur Rajabov refused to participate. The reason was the situation with the coronavirus in the world, reports azerisport.com.

“I was FIDE president for 23 years. I had to make decisions and execute them. So I, on the one hand, stand for FIDE, and on the other hand, support Teymur Rajabov. He is a very bright, talented chess player and I always liked him.

 

The fact that Teymur did not take part in the Candidates Tournament is abnormal because Teymur had to play. And like every high-end grandmaster who thinks not for two or three but five or ten moves ahead, he correctly assessed the situation with pandemic: the world is getting more and more infected. And in such a situation, it is wrong to take part in a tournament. He expressed his opinion not as a chess player, but as a serious man who monitors both the press and the situation in the world. He gave the right recommendation and he was right: there was no need to start the tournament.

But there are, as they say, "fathers-leaders "in FIDE and they thought the situation over on their part. It's a stalemate now. On the one hand, Rajabov was right and he had to play. On the other hand, FIDE is the highest authority, and its Presidential Council decided to start the tournament and then stop. I do not want to condemn anyone or comment on anyone’s decisions. It's just a pity the tournament stopped, ”Ilyumzhinov said.