As the exclusive representatives of GM Viswanathan Anand in India, we
are sending you the following press release:
"Viswanathan
Anand, will not be participating in the forthcoming
Olympiad. As he always maintained, the reason for his non participation is that
the format is not agreeable . He has always worked hard for Indian Chess on a global platform. Being a
trail blazer, he has always tried to help and nurture talent in the country and has both formally and informally collaborated with many of
the younger talent and would gladly continue do so in the future."
Regards
Kuruvilla Abraham
Managing Director
TNQ Sponsorship (India) Private Limited
Anand to lead six-member Indian team in Olympiad
March 27
Former
World Champion Viswanathan Anand would lead a six-member Indian team in the 35th Chess Olympiad scheduled to be held at Bled in Slovenia from October
27, 2002. Grandmasters Krishnan Sasikiran, P Harikrishna, Dibyendu Barua, Abhijit Kunte and International Master Surya Sekhar Ganguly would be the other members of the squad, All
India Chess Federation Secretary P T Ummer Koya told newspersons at
Calcutta, here today.
Asked whether
Viswanathan Anand had agreed to take part in the Olympiad as he had stayed away from the meet on the last three occasions, Koya said ''I see no reason why he should skip the tournament this time''. The AICF
Secretary said that he would discuss the matter with Anand soon.
Koya, who was briefing the media on the deliberations at the the AICF Central Council meeting
earlier in the day, said the women's team for the Olympiad would also be announced in the next few days and said that the eves would tune up at a coaching camp in Kochi in June and July.
Koya said that celebrated Russian coaches Evgeny Vladimorov, Garry Kasparov's second, and Valerie Salov would train the women's and men's team respectively for the Olympiad.
Koya said that the AICF was also trying to host the World Rapid Chess championship at Mumbai in July and it was also likely to bid for the 2006 Olympiad.(Agencies)
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