22.07.2015

Ilyumzhinov Defends Kasparov

The President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has criticized the publication ban of an article about Garry Kasparov in the anniversary edition of the historical society's, "Spartacus."
- "I have great respect, love and appreciation for the 13th world champion who has done a great deal for the world of chess, both for the Soviet Union and for Russia. I think it is purely a political decision. Garry Klimovich played for "Spartak" and they should have left this piece in the book because it is impossible to strike off the World Chess Champion just like that."


According to Ilyumzhinov, Kasparov's name was struck off the list, "because he talks too much." For example, "Kasparov visited Mexico and the Congo, along with other countries, during the election campaign for the presidency of FIDE last year, and for more than 99% of the time he talked about politics and about the Ukraine, and practically nothing about chess.
When he sits in front of the players, they might not know where the Ukraine is and might even think that it is located somewhere in a distant African country. They came to meet Gary Kasparov, the Champion of the World and a candidate for the presidency, but he would rather tell them about the complicated relations that Russia has with its neighbouring countries.
The fact that his name is forbidden even to mention is a bad sign. I do not know what criteria they used. Maybe there are other players who are more outstanding than he is. If it was done for political reasons then I believe it is unfair and wrong. Sport sits outside of politics. If a person is accomplished at a high level then their achievements should be adequately represented in the history of the national sport," said the head of FIDE.
For reference: Garry Kasparov is the 13th world champion, eight times winner of the World Chess Olympiad and the owner of 11 chess "Oscars". In 2005, he announced that he was retiring from his career in chess to devote himself to politics and participated in a number of opposition movements. In June 2013, Kasparov announced his departure from Russia and in February 2014, he became a citizen of Croatia and now lives in the coastal town of Makarska.