CFC FIDE Representative election - Feb 2021

[Victor Itkin]

Obviously Victor's story is requiring a proof, and I've already asked Victor to take certain steps to address it.
Now, Lloyd, let me comment on your reasonings:
1.Competency. As I'm concerned only one of two candidates has it. It is obvious that one who has never been in this position simply can't have it by definition.
2.Strength-in-Numbers: nothing is further from the truth. Whatever problem Vadim can solve with one email (he knows what when and to whom to write) will take Victor years to learn and figure it out, especially if CFC will reject Vadim's candidacy. There will be very little or no incentive for loser to cooperate with a winner.
3.CFC / FIDE Knowledge: Since when Victor has a good or any for that matter relationship with FIDE?
4.Conflict of interest: you yourself have written that "I can’t imagine a situation as I write this, however it seems to me that it is a possibility". So you would vote for clearly inferior candidate cause' of this small possibility?
Anyway, the choice is yours. Good Luck.
Sasha Starr, VM.

Sasha,

I could understand your support to Mr. Tsypin until tonight, while it was normal and more or less civil election campaign. But I can't understand, how you, intelligent and successful businessman, can continue to support him - as if nothing had happened - after today's posts made by Victor, Aris, Hal, and Fred? Just take a deep breath, re-read these posts again, and analyze:

1. You are saying "Obviously Victor's story is requiring a proof...". We are not in court (at least not yet). Can you imagine that Victor Plotkin made up this story? I personally know him for about 15 years, and can confirm that I have met few such honest people in my life as he. Canadian chess community knows Victor for about 15 years as well. I am confident that many players, arbiters, voting members and executives will agree with my assessment. This story is just disgusting, as if the action takes place in Chicago of 1920s.

2. Can you imagine that Aris made up his story? Canadian chess community knows Aris as an honest person a long time. Even Vlad Drkulec, who was openly supporting Mr. Tsypin, indirectly confirmed that Mr. Tsypin have called Aris on January 24th. And this is despite Mr. Tsypin rejects this call and requires apologies.

3. Can you imagine that Hal Bond made his story? We all have known him for a very long time. Maybe he have made some mistakes in his chess career, but his word deserves complete confidence.

4. In addition, Hal's story was confirmed (with minor alterations) by executive Fred McKim, who is also well known and very trustworthy person in Canadian chess community. And some issues from Hal's report can be checked easily and instantly. For example, that Mr. Tsypin somehow managed to upgrade his and his wife's Arbiter Titles (both from IA category D to IA category B) in one year, instead of standard 5-year requirement.

There are several smaller things, but the already mentioned should be more than sufficient for an objective person to understand the situation.

By the way, it only took Victor Plotkin couple of hours (not 2-5 years, as you expected) to "get" to the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and to receive an official letter on his behalf confirming that FIDE would equally cooperate with any CFC Representative who wins the elections.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______________

Vlad,

Should CFC demand that RCMP investigate foreign election interference? Just kidding.

[Vadim Tsypin]

As for releasing funny Skype messages, there is a proverb about people living in glass houses.

[To be continued]

Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed Voting Members:

Like all of you, I was raised by my beloved parents to behave honourably and to respect the confidentiality of private communications. So, when Mr. *Aris Marghetis called me* on January 24, 2021, and in his very first words asked to keep our conversation confidential, I gladly accepted. I honoured my colleague’s request and did not disclose to anyone the nature of pleas he directed at me and the favors he was asking from me.

It is with sincere dismay that I am learning from a rather lively discussion here, that Mr. Marghetis:
1) Allegedly *lied on the record* by claiming that Vadim Tsypin “contacted” him.
2) Despite his own request for confidentiality, allegedly started telling untruths about our conversation to Messrs Zeromskis and Drkulec.

This is sad. Such behavior has no place in civil society.

Further on, Mr. Marghetis invited you, the honourable Voting Members, to examine some private communications between him and me. In this case, I am happy to oblige.

Exhibit 1:
From 2014-2018, Mr. Aris Marghetis was the Secretary of the all-powerful FIDE Arbiters’ Commission under the Makropoulos administration. On October 03, 2018, Mr. Makropoulos resoundingly lost the election to Mr. Dvorkovich. All former FIDE employees lost their places.

The very next morning, Mr. Marghetis sent me such an intriguing message:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dvv...ew?usp=sharing

To be continued

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Dear chess friends, voting members,


I publicly endorse Victor Plotkin in the election to fill the vacant CFC director seat as a FIDE Representative.

I shall take my hat as a vice-president, and put a Class A (voting) member's one as a "representative" from the Ontario Chess Association. In local chess tournaments I met Victor Plotkin on many occasions, played several times too. The first impression stayed forever - a humble but standing firm for truth. As a chess fan I routed for his led Canadian teams in Olympiads. Victor, you're an unsung hero putting Canada on the first board against the USA in the final round! That is a true leadership!

As a voting member I observed how well Victor Plotkin's motions were and how tactically he conducted during discussions.

I have no doubt that Victor Plotkin will act in the same highest-level manner being the FIDE Representative in the future. Time to upgrade the FIDE Master title

You say - he does not know anyone yet at FIDE. I say - he'll have more business cards than there are CFC Voting Members after the first FIDE Zonal Council Meeting! We're not just electing a FIDE Representative but the person who becomes the FIDE Zonal President for Canada.


Please, voting members, support Victor Plotkin by voting on Tuesday/Wednesday.



Egidijus Zeromskis
--
Aurora Chess Club President
Twice-a-year Aurora Opens organizer in the pre-covid era
GTCL Director of Communications
OCA Governor
a hat back on
Vice-President of the CFC

[Vadim Tsypin]

As for releasing funny Skype messages, there is a proverb about people living in glass houses.

[To be continued]

Ladies and gentlemen:

It is regrettable that we, Canadians longing for “peace, order, and good government”, have been subjected during this campaign to a barrage of lies and old canards about “foreign influence” and even “the Russian mafia” perpetuated by candidates and their proxies.

I am the only candidate in this race who promptly disclosed his citizenship status replying to a VMs’ request. I am a proud Canadian and I do not hold any other citizenship.

I invite you to examine –

Exhibit 2.
Having found no traction in his attempts to keep his place in the new FIDE, Mr. Marghetis contacted me again in October 2018 with the following message:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HSW...ew?usp=sharing

We can see that Mr. Marghetis holds both Russia and FIDE in such a high esteem that he allegedly having wet dreams with FIDE President making him “offers”.

To be continued

[Sasha Starr]

Sasha,

I could understand your support to Mr. Tsypin until tonight, while it was normal and more or less civil election campaign. But I can't understand, how you, intelligent and successful businessman, can continue to support him - as if nothing had happened - after today's posts made by Victor, Aris, Hal, and Fred? Just take a deep breath, re-read these posts again, and analyze:

1. You are saying "Obviously Victor's story is requiring a proof...". We are not in court (at least not yet). Can you imagine that Victor Plotkin made up this story? I personally know him for about 15 years, and can confirm that I have met few such honest people in my life as he. Canadian chess community knows Victor for about 15 years as well. I am confident that many players, arbiters, voting members and executives will agree with my assessment. This story is just disgusting, as if the action takes place in Chicago of 1920s.

2. Can you imagine that Aris made up his story? Canadian chess community knows Aris as an honest person a long time. Even Vlad Drkulec, who was openly supporting Mr. Tsypin, indirectly confirmed that Mr. Tsypin have called Aris on January 24th. And this is despite Mr. Tsypin rejects this call and requires apologies.

3. Can you imagine that Hal Bond made his story? We all have known him for a very long time. Maybe he have made some mistakes in his chess career, but his word deserves complete confidence.

4. In addition, Hal's story was confirmed (with minor alterations) by executive Fred McKim, who is also well known and very trustworthy person in Canadian chess community. And some issues from Hal's report can be checked easily and instantly. For example, that Mr. Tsypin somehow managed to upgrade his and his wife's Arbiter Titles (both from IA category D to IA category B) in one year, instead of standard 5-year requirement.

There are several smaller things, but the already mentioned should be more than sufficient for an objective person to understand the situation.

By the way, it only took Victor Plotkin couple of hours (not 2-5 years, as you expected) to "get" to the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and to receive an official letter on his behalf confirming that FIDE would equally cooperate with any CFC Representative who wins the elections.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______________

Vlad,

Should CFC demand that RCMP investigate foreign election interference? Just kidding.

1.You've misunderstood my intentions: I'm not questioning Victor's story - I wanted to conduct a complete investigation of this affair and if needed take it to court.

2.I'm less interested in the call story - I feel uneasy with all election story: When I asked Victor whom he would support if there would be only two candidates, Aris and Vadim? Victor replied without hesitation: OF COURSE, Aris! And later on Aris resigned and endorsed whom? Victor! If this is not a conspiracy against Vadim, then what is?

3.Hal Bond's story has a lot of contradictions. Same is with Vadim and his wife's Arbiter's Title allegations. In fact you are the one who questioned Vadim's wife and apologized after her reply.

You are incorrect alleging that Victor in couple of hours got to the FIDE President - he spoke to Emil Sutovsky who initiated the letter to Victor. This is why I'm insisting on the full investigation including questioning Vladimir Bykov to find out from whom exactly he's got instructions to call Victor's friend if all this story in fact has really happened.

With all the heavy accusations it is clear that there will be very little cooperation between the winner and the loser of this election. So the question is who will be more effective in helping Canadian chess community, children: one candidate who's going to navigate his way through FIDE's bureaucracy especially in the pandemic times when he won't even be able to have face to face meetings - and one who's been on the very top of the FIDE's management pyramid for well over two years?

Just do yourself a favor, please, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFhwjmxNhbs - you will see a polished chess professional knowledgeable in all aspects of the chess governance, who can produce results instantly. I've got a lot of positive comments from viewers, including those from USA.

Sasha Starr, VM.

[Victor Itkin]

1.You've misunderstood my intentions: I'm not questioning Victor's story - I wanted to conduct a complete investigation of this affair and if needed take it to court...

...This is why I'm insisting on the full investigation including questioning Vladimir Bykov to find out from whom exactly he's got instructions to call Victor's friend if all this story in fact has really happened.

Sasha Starr, VM.

Investigation and taking to court may take years, but elections we have in about 20 hours from now.

My preference is CFC independence - so my choice is obvious.

I was already watching you show, it was a good one.

[Vadim Tsypin]

As for releasing funny Skype messages, there is a proverb about people living in glass houses.

[To be continued]

Exhibit 3.
20190101-printed-AMarghetis-LoyalSoldier.pdf

New Year’s Day 2019. All appointments to the FIDE Commissions have been made public. New energetic people were selected from all four continents based on merit, not connections with the Makropoulos administration.

Date: Tue, Jan 1, 2019 at 1:04 PM
From: Aris Marghetis
To: Vadim I. Tsypin
Subject: Vadim & Aris

Dear Vadim, first, Happy New Year to you, your family, and friends, S NOVYM GODOM!
[Interesting – Russian again. ]

Then, I admit that I am writing this email in a certain amount of personal distress. As you
probably know by now, I have been completely removed from the FIDE Arbiters' Commission. I
recall SO MUCH WORK, SO MANY LATE NIGHTS, to try to redirect the ship towards the seas of
meritocracy, which was in sync with one of the driving visions of the new FIDE since the election.

As I expressed to you personally, I was enthusiastically anticipating continuing to work for world
chess in the upcoming new government. We talked about that by Skype even before the
election. Anyhow, no matter how good for world chess I still think I am, I can appreciate that
leaders above me believed someone else would be better than myself. No problem. That is real
life, where I failed to impress "upwards" enough. I can live with that. But I have since heard
some other shocking news:

I have heard that "my problem" is my association with Hal. You probably know more about Hal's
situation(s) than I do, and that's precisely because I have NOTHING to do with Hal's thing(s).
Sure, he tells me things, but how can that be MY fault?!

Looking forward, I would really like to Skype with you about my situation, to ask for your
advice. What I bring to the table is healthy functional respect for organizational reality. I just
want to work for the game I love, for perhaps the SINGLE GLOBAL activity that can bring
humanity together. In some ways, who directs me can be irrelevant, as I am a GOOD LOYAL SOLDIER.

Dear Vadim, I understand you must be incredibly busy, but is there a way that we can consult? I
need your help sir. I am driving in a few days to New York, then westward, returning in a couple
of weeks. I can stop anywhere to Skype with you.

Thank you, best regards, Aris.

Ladies and gentlemen, what did we learn today from this sorry parade of pleas and whining?

1) Mr. Marghetis did not apologize nor withdrew his false allegation that Vadim Tsypin “contacted” him on Janauary 24. He misled you willingly - on the record.

2) Many people who had private conversations with Mr. Marghetis where he begged them for favors would immediately recognize his phrase from a letter above: "who directs me can be irrelevant, as I am a GOOD LOYAL SOLDIER". This has almost became his trademark. Never a leader, always a follower. A mercenary, in effect, - looking for a powerful master / a higher bidder.

This is exactly the nature of “services” Mr. Marghetis offered to me during *his call* to me last January 24. He pleaded with me to “serve” me and to be a “GOOD LOYAL SOLDIER”.

Honourable Voting Members, I respect independence, backbone, and professionalism. I collaborate with my peers, and have no need for “loyal soldiers” who would “serve” me. Thus, I rejected Mr. Marghetis’ proposals unequivocally.

So, he apparently continued his search for someone “who directs” him. And found him.

[Sasha Starr]

Investigation and taking to court may take years, but elections we have in about 20 hours from now.

My preference is CFC independence - so my choice is obvious.

I was already watching you show, it was a good one.

Thank you for the compliments about my show - got a lot of praise from non chess people, but also from the chess community including from US: Boston, NY, etc.

Internal investigation could be done very quickly: all you need is an affidavit (could be in Russian) from Victor's friend, and another one from Vladimir Bykov and compare them. In fact it could be useful for the next election.

Now I have some very bad news for you...

CFC will never be independent - anyone offering a few thousand dollars to sponsor an event, tournament, seminar, etc, will have an upper hand. The examples are too numerous to list...

By the way, do you know that in the Province of Quebec chess is recognized as a sport. And now use your brains, just a little.

Thanks. Sasha Starr, VM.

[Vadim Tsypin]

I have read this complete thread (at least twice and some places several times - and again, in my view, Vadim does not have a "conflict of interest" if elected).

Thank you again Lloyd. I am confident that, like you, the other honourable Voting Members are objective people who make their own evidence-based conclusions.

I would appreciate the candidates comments on a couple of questions which, for me will likely decide my final vote. I am hopeful that these questions will also assist the Directors to arrive at an informed final decision. I'm not looking for a long-winded explanation, but sufficient information to explain your position:

1) There is a saying that there is "strength in numbers". In other words, would it be of benefit or a detriment to the CFC to have Vadim in his current position and Victor as CFC Representative or is it of greater benefit to the CFC to have Vadim filing both his current FIDE position and CFC representative ?

In business or politics, the biggest impact is achieved by concentrating forces in the most critical point. In our case it means a single strong Canadian voice at the very Management Board table where all operational decisions -including budget allocation decisions – are made.

When the United States Chess Federation elects its FIDE delegate, they do not look to multiple Americans who work in FIDE Commissions or at the national stage only. The USCF finds the highest ranked American in FIDE – Vice-President Michael Khodarkovsky – and proudly elects him to represent the USA.

3) Vadim, of what I've read, I understand that there is a concern that as an employee of FIDE, if there was a situation which may be averse to the CFC but of corresponding benefit to FIDE, that you would be caught in a quandary where you may not be in a position to support the CFC. I would be interested in your comment.

Lloyd, the FIDE interests and the interests of its member federations are never opposing, they are aligned. The FIDE Mission makes development of chess and strengthening the national federations FIDE’s explicit goals. Improving chess players’ social conditions and well-being is yet another area where FIDE and NCFs work hand in hand. FIDE actually finances the national chess federations and the specific projects they put forward. The financing is done through the direct FIDE-NCF agreement, through the FIDE Development fund and through the funding that FIDE allocates to its four continents.

As a scientist, I prefer not to deal with speculations and eventualities but to build a mathematical model that adequately reflects the underlying material world. Could you please give me any specific example of “a situation which may be averse to the CFC but of corresponding benefit to FIDE”? In my 2.5 years at FIDE, I have never witnessed any sort of a situation where interests of FIDE – the sponsor and guarantor of federations’ and players’ well-being – would be opposite to its member countries.

What can actually happen is a *completely different situation*, where the CFC interests may collide with interests of *another national federation*. Let’s imagine that there are two competing bids for the World Chess Olympiad – say, by Canada and Russia – to be decided by a General Assembly vote. What would Vadim do?

Well, this question is very easy. I am the only candidate in this race who promptly disclosed his citizenship status replying to a VMs’ request. I am a proud Canadian and I do not hold any other citizenship. I will definitely vote for a Canadian bid – and in doing so, I will not be in conflict with FIDE either.

To be continued

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Diana Tsypina submitted a routine category upgrade application to FIDE for CFC’s acknowledgment in December 2020. It was later established that this application met or exceeded all legal requirements codified in the FIDE Handbook B06, Annex 2, "Regulations for the classification of the chess arbiters".

Yet, for unknown reasons, Diana was viciously attacked by a member of the CFC Executive who suddenly decided to play a role of a self-proclaimed gatekeeper for Canadians’ advance through FIDE – a role that the CFC Exec didn’t entrust him with.

“The Board of Directors of the Chess Federation of Canada overwhelmingly voted to support Mrs. Tsypina's application despite the objections of our delegate who ultimately resigned because the board disagreed with [the delegate’s] interpretation of our role in this process.”

Are you opening your wife's application discussion for public?

Vadim, this your message contains many exaggerations. Though, I'm getting used to them - to blow things out, right or wrong.

Though, one thing - I have not received a call for a vote (or the chair has not call for one) for this application to be supported. President, Secretary, has I missed one? Don't tell me that opinions counted again as votes. Directors have certain obligations after the resolution is voted on.