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View Full Version : Canada Supports Karpov for FIDE Presidency



Bob Armstrong
09-17-2010, 08:23 PM
PRESS RELEASE # 3/2010

DATE: September 17, 2010

BY: the Chess Federation of Canada ( CFC )

WRITER/CONTACT: Hal Bond, CFC FIDE Delegate ( halbond@sympatico.ca )

INTERVIEW – will be arranged

TOPIC : Canada Chooses Change – World CHESS (FIDE) Presidency



The following statement was issued today by Hal Bond of the Chess Federation of Canada. Bond is Canada’s FIDE Delegate.

Canada Chooses Change

The Chess Federation of Canada is supporting Anatoly Karpov as the next FIDE President.

The Chess Federation of Canada wishes to thank the current FIDE administration for its dedication and service. Tangible improvements have been made in the past 4 years. We believe that new leadership will serve to elevate our beloved game even further.

Presidential hopeful Anatoly Karpov is the 12th World Chess Champion, succeeding the legendary Bobby Fischer. Karpov aims to become the 7th President of the world chess organization, Federation Internationale des Echecs ( FIDE ). The incumbent, Russian Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has held the reins since 1995.

Both have run vigorous campaigns world wide, lobbying the over 150 member country federations. Voting will take place during FIDE’s General Assembly, held concurrently with the 39th “Chess Olympiad” in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia from September 29 to October 2. Canada’s national teams will also participate in the biennial tournament.

Karpov’s platform for the Presidency emphasizes change:

1) Open Door Policy
- Guide organization membership and encourage open discussion and contribution. Ensure fair distribution of organization funds.

2) Increase Financial Backing though Valued Relationships
- Garner sponsor relationships through trust and solidarity. Improve the chess “brand” to attract more sponsors and create worthy programs that link to education.

3) Promote Chess Education & Training
- Expand the base of chess players so that knowledge of the game is promoted to various audiences. Utilize expert chess players as ambassadors of chess to distribute the love of chess and drive enthusiasm.

4) Protect & Uphold the Traditions of Chess
- Preserve what makes chess special. Revive and maintain traditions that have made chess a universal symbol of human thought as a popular pursuit that bridges gaps and differences between people and cultures

Note: For those intending to make use of this press release, I have a picture of Karpov to include which I could send you ( don't know how to post a picture here yet )

Background to CFC Press Releases :

At the Toronto July CFC AGM, the governors passed Motion 2010-17 creating a non-executive officer position of " Public Relations Coordinator " ( upgrading the prior position of Director of Publicity ). Bylaw 3 of the CFC Handbook, under Duties of Officers in Section 8C, gives the mandate of this position as:

8C. The Public Relations Coordinator will be responsible for promoting the image of the CFC and for promoting chess generally to the public. As such the Public Relations Coordinator will, among other things:

- deal with mainstream media to promote significant chess news, such as Canadian Chess Champions, a new Canadian GM, major tournaments like the Can. Closed, Canadian Open, Can. Women’s Closed, CYCC, etc., the various benefits accruing from playing chess and other positive aspects of the chess culture.

This position in its initial creation never got filled. And currently, the CFC is looking for a volunteer governor/member to fill the vacant Public Relations Coordinator position.

Because of this situation, the CFC has never developed a bank of Canadian mainstream media contacts who might be willing to publish CFC Press Releases on chess items, or to write articles on chess.

I have currently volunteered, in the interim, as a governor, to try to do some preliminary work on this issue, in advance of us finding the right volunteer to fill the position. I only have a limited amount of time to spend on this at the moment, and it will become even less in the Fall. But I am willing to put some volunteer time on the matter. I will write some press releases myself, and on some I will be collaborating with others, under who's name the press release will appear.

Feel free to make use of the CFC Press Releases in any publicity efforts you might be undertaking. I would appreciate being advised of any efforts made and use of the material, so CFC can build a file on the efforts being made to promote chess in Canada.

Newspapers do not acknowledge press releases ( too many daily ) and to my knowledge do not notify you if they make use of one. So if you see an article on this in any of the papers, please advise me. I have been warned that it has not been easy to get chess material into the mainstream media, and so CFC should have very modest expectations of success on this front. But hopefully, over time, with developing contacts, this will change.

If anyone has any newspaper, television or radio contacts I might be able to use, or any advice on this effort, please e-mail me : bobarm@sympatico.ca

Bob