CFC FIDE Representative election - Feb 2021

[Sasha Starr]

And now let me add the following.

To voice a number of concerns, the FIDE's hierarchy is rather entrenched, and how would one candidate made any headway at all when the other candidate is already a part of the Fide Presidential team?

Despite all the dummies being floated out by the many-headed re. the 'advantages' of two Canadians at Fide, any Russian schoolboy will tell you nature abhors two centres of power!

It would have been gracious of the other candidate if he could have stated his platform and cleanly addressed all these rumours and innuendos which are nauseating to say the least. And just to remind: please watch this broadcast.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFhwjmxNhbs

Maybe the candidate who was invited on this show but refused to participate on the ground that he is not prepared to debate one on one with the other candidate will finally see how futile his attempt to get elected as a CFC FIDE Representative really is...

[Victor Itkin]

This is what I've published earlier:

"Originally Posted by Sasha Starr View Post

I've been accused already by a few VMs of attacking fellows VMs etc. for disagreeing with me. I've never had any such intentions.
In fact all this affair is hardly passing a smell test. Hal's resignation letter, an attempt to make Aris his heir, a race between Aris and Vadim, then Victor is getting there and Aris resigning...

However let me reiterate where I stand without attacking anybody:

Vadim's background in chess governance, including being a core member of the new FIDE management team since the 2018 FIDE elections, makes him the best candidate for this position. Only Vadim will be able to open the door wide for Canada into world chess and to bring exciting opportunities for Canadian players, coaches, and organizers. His campaign already has widespread support in all provinces and has been endorsed by well-respected chess professionals on the CFC site and in social media.

Victor Plotkin is in the right spot as the Men's team Captain, his skills set is good for that. Were he to be elected Canada delegate, he would become one of 195 mostly nameless delegates who stand in line with empty hands for four years in a row and are never given anything for their countries apart from an offer or two during the FIDE election year. Realistically, with Victor the delegate Canada will always be behind Kosovo, Burkina Faso or Venezuela in access to any FIDE help. Victor is on record in his electoral program stating that if he were elected, he would rely on Vadim Tsypin and would seek his help dealing with FIDE. Doesn't this tell you everything? Why have a second-hand article when you can own a genuine item?!

Vadim is already at the FIDE's highest table where all important issues - budgets, event bids, regulations - are decided upon. Shall not Canada literally leap at this chance and embrace Vadim as its most capable advocate (see: China WCCC letter, disabled player transfer, Para Olympiad, wild card in World Youth Online, all-expense-paid trip for young players to the Vladimir Dvorkovich Cup, etc.) ?!

I understand the tribalism in political process, and chess is no exception. And if there were two approximately equally qualified candidates either choice is OK. But today's situation is not the case...
Our choice without tribalism issues is an easy one!"

Sasha Starr, VM.

We've all read this before. As lawyers like to say, repeating your argument over and over won't make it stronger.

[Lyle Craver]

No Vlad, the most democratic scenario is that we (meaning the Voting Member assembly and the Executive which very definitely includes YOU) should follow our rules exactly as they stand and if it is desired to amend them, make the steps to begin to do so.

Contrary to what you might think I am not unalterably opposed to amendments though I strongly believe the ENTIRE Assembly has the right to be informed that such a process is going on and to know beyond any doubt that their participation is both welcome and sought. Basing a meeting call on an unadvertised forum vote was unfair to all VMs and should never ever again be taken as an excuse for a Special meeting. Either ALL of us are welcome to participate and know our participation is welcome or the governance process by the Assembly ought not to be in session. Had you at any time sent a mass e-mail during the past 3-4 weeks saying "important business is taking place in the VM Discussion room and your attention is urgently desired" I would not be saying what I am saying now.

As for Pierre's suggestion that the Executive 'failed to fill the vacancy' the answer is obvious. The whole reason the Executive was not able to fill the vacancy was that while they very much wished to do so, the President declined to call the vote. By no means can it be fairly said that the board was unwilling or unable to actually take a vote on the FIDE Rep position. Every one of we six knows that though I very much understand that there are different views on why and how and whether it was proper.

[Lyle Craver]

Given that quite a few of us including myself had no knowledge that your show even existed until 10 days ago I am prepared to cut any candidate who got such an invite out of the blue a bit of slack.

Would YOU be eager to approach a tournament which your opponent had been invited months previously while you found out less than a week before? Maybe you would but many wouldn't.

[Lyle Craver]

Checkmate my heehaw.

The Assembly has the right to elect one new board member and may or may not choose to elect a second - which in any case is only until the AGM scheduled for August. By no means is elected two board members required.

[Victor Plotkin]

I am very sorry that Sasha Starr continues to provide incorrect interpretations of my words. As I explained to him more than once during our conversations, I did not agree to participate in a one-on-one discussion with Vadim only because of my concern that this discussion would deteriorate our relationship, which is not a desirable result, no matter the outcome of this election. To say that I was not prepared to debate is untrue, and intended to create an inaccurate impression of myself and display it to other voting members.

[Christopher Mallon]

My concern is that if Vadim wins this election, the CFC's support for every decision made by Dvorkovich will be guaranteed, and we will lose our independence; we are already heading in this direction. Vlad Drkulec has provided several non-Canadian endorsements for Vadim, which I think are not only completely irrelevant, but also counter-productive. Every independent country should reject foreign influences on any elections, including that of the CFC.

I agree, and also it's not like people all over the world are watching this forum to see what we are doing, which means he's asking for these endorsements. I don't like being told how to vote by other Canadians, and I certainly don't like being told how to vote by foreigners.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Show me where the rule says what you say it is saying. If I am wrong show me how I am wrong. I can paste the emails into the thread and everyone can decide if the vote was as I said it was. The votes are all next to each other in my inbox.

The excuse for the special meeting was the first vote of the executive for the splitting of the FIDE rep duties between Hal and Aris.

We could not do that without a bylaw change.

A bylaw change requires a meeting to stick.

Actually reading more carefully in the email options thread shows that Mark never commented in that particular sub-thread. I led the discussion and never commented on my vote but Egis came around to a split role with Aris as a director and Hal not as a director so the count was

4 (Egis, Christina, Lyle, Fred)-0-2 (Vlad, Mark) for-against-abstention or no comment for option 5.

[Sasha Starr]

Sorry, Victor, I've copied it because I've prepared a continuation. But you don't have to read it, of course!

[Fred McKim]

Show me where the rule says what you say it is saying. If I am wrong show me how I am wrong. I can paste the emails into the thread and everyone can decide if the vote was as I said it was. The votes are all next to each other in my inbox.

The excuse for the special meeting was the first vote of the executive for the splitting of the FIDE rep duties between Hal and Aris.

We could not do that without a bylaw change.

A bylaw change requires a meeting to stick.

Actually reading more carefully in the email options thread shows that Mark never commented in that particular sub-thread. I led the discussion and never commented on my vote but Egis came around to a split role with Aris as a director and Hal not as a director so the count was

4 (Egis, Christina, Lyle, Fred)-0-2 (Vlad, Mark) for-against-abstention or no comment for option 5.

I am only going by memory, but I seem to recall that it was very quickly established that Aris was fine filling the whole FIDE Rep position ............