PRESS RELEASE 2

The call of June 19th has brought a big hope.

The National Federations have responded favourably from all parts of the World: Africa, the Americas, Asia, eastern and western Europe. Chess personalities, players, and journalists have sent many messages of support.

A recent press release would make you believe in personal attacks against Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and an attempt to sabotage the reunification plan.

The reality is completely different and we repeat today: it is the putting into place of a real alternative to the present leadership of the FIDE and this alternative is the best way to bring to fruition the reunification plan.

Humour, the signatories would have wanted us to be satisfied to talk about these problems at the Bled General Assembly… But rightly, this assembly must elect a new FIDE leadership for 4 years, a 5-person ticket.

And there is a candidacy limit, around August 7^th, about which, FIDE has been completely silent! (These days, transparency is an absolute necessity and this should be a characteristic of the new FIDE.)

After this date, the present team would have been unanimously re-elected, even though the Federations, the international press, and ordinary players world-wide know that unfortunately, FIDE doesn’t work and has absolutely no credibility.

Today, the desire is strong for an International Federation which deserves this name, which like in all sports, is capable of structuring the Chess world, to introduce dynamism and innovation, to promote and prepare the future of Chess. A strong movement is forming in this direction and the Federations are giving their contribution.

Taking into account the present deliquescence, the first goals are modest: guarantee stable rules, put into place by competent commissions, establish a calendar early with dates and places of competitions which don’t change all the time, assure a transparent bidding procedure for organisers, inform correctly and regularly…

Beyond that, FIDE must show a real political will. Sport is the privileged path: FIDE should shift all its weight towards governments to help Federations which have not yet received official recognition as a Sport receive it. A recognition which will bring them much.

The continental organisms should receive a real independence, like in all sporting Federations. There are enough competent people, in Africa, in Asia and Oceanic, the Americas, in Europe, to take their destiny completely in their hands.*

And FIDE should stop to unduly charge a tax on entry fees on these competitions which are organised at a continental level (for example 60 SF for every youth participating at a continental championship). For each his responsibilities … and his finances!

Sporting power should be independent of financial powers. A counsel of 20 to 30 persons, representing various continents will know how to take good decisions and avoid the polemic on the time control for the World Championship (which the Grandmasters Steering Committee has returned to normalcy) or the ridiculous qualifications for this same championship by internet, with computers or Grandmaster help.

The World Championship should become again an event which is capable of promoting Chess. The last classical World Championship, in New York and Lyon, in 1990, had $3,000,000 in prizes and strong publicity… Confidence regained, the sponsors will come back and financial partners are already prepared to invest.

Publicising the game, the use of internet, grass roots development for youth… the task is immense: I call on all the Federations to continue to pool their ideas for this new FIDE.

The time has come to form a team representing the 5 continents, motivated only by the good of Chess and capable to respond to the immense expectations of the Chess World.

Montpellier, June 28, 2002

Jean-Claude Loubatière

President of the French Chess Federation

Contacts :

Fédération Française des Échecs : Tél. : +33 (0) 4 67 60 02 22

Fax : +33 (0) 4 67 60 02 25

E-mail : ffe.president@online.fr

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.