During
the past days the organizers of the Einstein Candidates Tournament in Dortmund
(6th July – 21st July 2002, Dortmund Westfalenhalle) were asked to find
out possible ways to include Viswanathan Anand (India) and Vassily Ivanchuk
(Ukraine) in this event.
The Organizing Committee of the "Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting 2002"
gives the following statement, approved by the Einstein Group:
"Einstein and Dortmund are the wrong target group for questions considering
Viswanathan Anand and Vassily Invancuk or even more players in a possible reunification
process. These two great players were of course once invited here in Dortmund
and declined from offers because of their contractual obligations to FIDE.
During the meeting in Prague (6 May) Classical World Champion Vladimir Kramnik
insisted over several hours to consider more players on the FIDE side to create
a more balanced situation and to make the reunification process as wide as possible.
With Kramnik we have to consider 8 top players on the Einstein side and for
the moment only 2 top players on the FIDE side. Kramnik signed the Prague agreement
at least only under the assumption that FIDE has to take the full responsibility
for a possible non-balanced situation. H.E. FIDE President Kirsan Iljunshinov
did it with explanations in the meeting and furthermore in the following press
conference. According to the signed resolution in Prague there are perhaps still
possibilities to make the "cycle" wider on the FIDE side. But again:
this is not in the power and responsibility of Einstein and Dortmund.
To make it more clear: Einstein and Dortmund will not allow any change wether
regarding the format nor of the number of players even not to change players.
Contracts have been signed, committments with sponsors have been made, single
players would not agree to any change. Players signed their agreements 4 months
ago and are still preparing several weeks for certain opponents."
Dortmund, 11 May 2002 Organizing Committee of the Dortmund Sparkassen Chess
Meeting
