PRESS
RELEASE - 20 Jan 2005
World Chess Championship Match 2005
FIDE regrets
Kasparov’s decision to withdraw from playing against Kasimdzhanov in April 2005
and pledges to continue its efforts for solutions concerning World Championship
funding
________________________________________________________________________
The
World Chess Federation (FIDE:
http://www.fide.com)
regrets Garry Kasparov’s announcement to withdraw from playing the World Chess
Championship match against Rustam Kasimdzhanov at the scheduled dates of April
25th to May 14th 2005.
During the latest FIDE
Сongress
in Spain, the Turkish Chess Federation expressed its strong desire to organize
this match.
FIDE informed the General
Assembly that
the Turkish bid was actively supported by the former World Champion Garry
Kasparov who urged FIDE to ”give somebody else the authority to act unless FIDE
already has the money from the Dubai organizer”.
On
2 December 2004, FIDE entered discussions with the Turkish Chess Federation and
requested the necessary bank guarantees before signing any agreement or
issuing player’s
contracts. Garry Kasparov had made it clear
several times that he would
not
sign anything before
he receives
”acceptable”
financial guarantees.
During the negotiations with the Turkish Chess
Federation Garry Kasparov and World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov were
kept fully informed about all
developments. They knew that:
a)
FIDE authorized the Turkish Chess Federation on December 7
to secure
the necessary funds in order to organize this match in Turkey with an initial
deadline of 29 December.
b)
On 3 January 2005 the Deputy Prime Minister of the Turkish
Republic, Mr Mehmet Ali Sahin, informed FIDE in
writing that Turkey is ready to provide all necessary guarantees for the
organization of the match, including the prize fund of 1.000.000 USD,
organizational costs, etc.
c)
Following this
letter of the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, FIDE gave the Turkish Chess
Federation a new deadline of 18 January for the issue of bank guarantees of
200.000 USD for each player and 50.000 USD for FIDE. The total amount of
1.272.000 USD would have to be transferred to FIDE’s bank account no later than
25 March 2005.
Meanwhile, both players agreed that the match would begin on 25 April 2005.
A few days ago, the
representative lawyer of the Turkish Chess Federation, Mr Cemal Dursun, informed
Garry Kasparov that no bank guarantees could be issued before 25 January. After
receiving this information, Garry Kasparov sent an email to FIDE on 18 January
announcing that he is no longer available to participate in this match for the
dates that had been agreed (25 April - 14 May).
It is obvious that we
are facing again a stalemate situation concerning the realization of the Prague
Agreement, a situation for which FIDE cannot be held accountable. The official
letter of the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister represents for FIDE a strong
guarantee in order to provide the Turkish organizers with the necessary time to
deal with the formal procedures concerning the issuance of the required
financial guarantees.
Garry Kasparov, who
for a long time has sincerely co-operated
towards the realization of the Prague Agreement, should have at least shown his
respect to his opponent Rustam Kasimdzhanov and his appreciation for the efforts
of the Turkish Chess Federation and the Turkish Government before announcing his
unilateral decision to withdraw from this match.
It
has to be
clear to everyone that it is impossible to secure such high prize funds from
legitimate sponsors, acceptable to FIDE and the IOC, without providing the
candidate organizers with the necessary time to complete their efforts,
especially when the government of a country is the guarantor for the
organization of the match. It is even more difficult to secure these prize funds
when the participants demand excessive financial guarantees before commiting
themselves in writing.
FIDE
continues to seek
solutions concerning the funding of the World Chess Championship, in co-operation
with its national federations and in close contact with all interested parties.
________________________________________________________________________
About FIDE
The World Chess
Federation (FIDE:
http://www.fide.com)
is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the supreme body
responsible globally for the game of chess and its championships. FIDE organizes
the World Chess Championship as well as all World Championships for women,
junior and youth categories, the bi-annual Chess Olympiad and it also publishes
the official FIDE Rating List (currently No.1 is Garry Kasparov of Russia). FIDE
has a membership of 160 national chess federations and it retains offices in
Greece and Russia.
For more information contact:
Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE)
Mr George Mastrokoukos
tel.: (+30) 2109212047, fax: (+30) 2109212859, email:
office@fide.com