Menu Close

“In-your-face racism”: Boycotts and the tyranny of FIDE double standard

Alejandro Tello NúñezAlejandro Tello Núñez 2 Comments

“In-your-face racism”: Boycotts and the tyranny of FIDE double standard

 

Introduction: An ultimatum to the Iranian Chess Federation

In the 2020 FIDE Congress, Nigel Short and Malcolm Pein issued a report showing several instances of Iranian players refusing to play against their Israeli counterparts.[1] According to Short, there is evidence that these players were pressured by their Federation to quit tournaments or give up games.[2] They called for an ultimatum to the Iranian Federation.

 

“We cannot tolerate boycotts and using chess for political purposes”

FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich presented to the General Assembly a motion that is essentially a tempered version of Short and Pein’s proposal.[3] Arkady Dvorkovich introduced the motion with a very inspirational remark: “We have to stand firm in protecting our principles, but of course this should be related to all federations. Everyone should adhere to FIDE charter and principles.”[4] He explained: “We cannot tolerate boycotts and using chess for political purposes and for discrimination”.[5] The motion by the president was approved by 80 against 12, with 15 abstentions.

“Boycotts and discrimination will not be tolerated”

Nigel Short vehemently expressed his enthusiasm: “The FIDE president, who I think has written an excellent motion here… and of course this applies to everyone. (…) That is why we supported, because it’s a matter of principle, a matter of law: upholding the statutes of the organization of which we are all members.”[6]

 

They forgot clarify, “FIDE charter and principles apply to everyone”, but not to us. “We cannot tolerate boycotts and using chess for political purposes”… but we can carry out boycotts and use chess for political purposes. “It’s a matter of principle, a matter of law”… It just so happens that we have principles to bridge our own principles.

 

“All boycotts in breach of the FIDE Charter”

When Russia escalated the war in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, it took one week for FIDE to orchestrate a boycott against the Chess Federations and representatives of Russia and Belarus. Even the living chess legend Anatoly Karpov was immediately stripped of his honorary title. Former world title contender Sergey Karjakin and prominent chess trainer Sergei Shipov were sent to disciplinary commission for their public support of their government.

 

“Everyone should adhere to FIDE charter and principles”

FIDE charter and principles no longer matter when there is a higher cause: Stopping a war, how honorable and virtuous. Of course, no more virtuous than stopping the massacre of the Palestinians and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. The irony is that FIDE didn’t just violate their own principles: they also bitterly condemned and persecuted the Iranian Chess Federation for doing what they were about to do themselves. Furthermore, FIDE officials showed no hesitation to display such a double standard, nor did they exculpate or apologized to the Iranian Federation.

An argument could be that FIDE officials (wrongly) believe that their charter and principles only apply to National Federations. However, in recent weeks several federations have imposed a boycott on Russian players. Teams (including Poland) refused to play against Russia during the planned World Team Championship in April in Israel.[7] The Polish Chess Federation also prohibited the participation of Russian players in Poland.[8] Of course, FIDE did not treat the Polish Federation or any others as they treated the Iranians.

So much for the epic rhetoric of upholding values and justice.

 

Documents: Statements on boycotts by the FIDE General Assembly

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich: “We have to stand firm in protecting our principles, but of course this should be related to all federations. Everyone should adhere to FIDE charter and principles.”[4]

 

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich: “We cannot tolerate boycotts and using chess for political purposes and for discrimination.”[5]

 

FIDE Vice-President Nigel Short: “The FIDE president, who I think has written an excellent motion here… and of course this applies to everyone. (…) That is why we supported, because it’s a matter of principle, a matter of law: upholding the statutes of the organization of which we are all members.”[6]

 

 

References:

  1. https://doc.fide.com/docs/OGA2020/OGA_Annexes/Annex_3.2.1.pdf
  2. https://doc.fide.com/docs/OGA2020/OGA_Annexes/Annex_3.2.1.pdf
  3. https://doc.fide.com/docs/OGA2020/OGA_Annexes/Annex_3.2.1.5.pdf
  4. https://youtu.be/2lxqCLoFKKY?t=10210
  5. https://youtu.be/2lxqCLoFKKY?t=10235
  6. https://youtu.be/2lxqCLoFKKY?t=12075
  7. https://chess24.com/en/read/news/russian-chess-players-tell-putin-to-stop-the-war.
  8. https://pzszach.pl/2022/03/03/wprowadzenie-zakazu-udzialu-obywateli-rosji-i-bialorusi-w-zawodach-w-sporcie-szachowym-w-polsce/

 

en_USEnglish
es_ESEspañol en_USEnglish