Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (center) will not be able to return Garry Kasparov to FIDE.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Money on Board
// FIDE Raises the Cost of the Champion Title
chess unification
Yesterday, the World Chess Federation, FIDE, President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced at the press conference in Moscow that the prize fund for the world champion title match between Garry Kasparov and Rustam Kasimdzhanov was raised from $1.25 million to $1.65 million. Now FIDE president is waiting for an answer from the rated world No.1, who withdrew in January from playing the World Chess Championship match against Rustam Kasimdzhanov at the scheduled dates of April 25th to May 14th 2005. Yesterday, Kommersant received the answer from Kasparov – he still has no intentions to participate in the reunification cycle.
Kasparov’s open letter, announcing his withdrawal from the match with Kasimdzhanov and “retreat from the battlefield of chess championship politics” was published on January 18. It was no sensation for those, who had been following the situation – Kommersant, for instance, was predicting such outcome at the end of last year.
In his letter Kasparov presented in detail the reasons leading to his decision, beginning with events of May 2002. FIDE and Kasparov initiated a Prague Unity Plan to determine the absolute world champion, who would be recognized universally. However, the title matches between Kasparov and Ruslan Ponomarev, Ukraine, were cancelled twice for various reasons.
Finally, after Ponomarev lost his title, Kasparov’s was to play against Rustam Kasimdzhanov from Uzbekistan, the winner of FIDE Knockout Tournament in Lebanon. Ilyumzhinov went as far as officially announcing the event to take place at Dubai, and naming the prize fund of $1.25. However, remembering the failure of matches with Ponomarev, Kasparov insisted on being granted financial guarantees this time. The parties were not able to agree, for Dubai demanded written confirmations from Kasparov regarding his participation in the match, before sending him any guarantees.
Kasparov fearing another tournament was at risk of failure sent his first open letter in October to the FIDE General Assembly, suggesting an optional solution to the problem. He mentioned that Turkish Chess Federation was willing to provide the necessary conditions for Kasparov – Kasimdzhanov match, identical to those offered by Dubai. President of the Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici confirmed Kasparov’s suggestion and was ready to proceed with procuring sponsorship guarantees. However, both Kasparov and Yazici said their plan was not even considered at the time. FIDE returned to it only when it became obvious that the Dubai match would not happen.
However, this time Kasparov did not take any more chances. In his letter he wrote about enormous “financial and psychological damage,” which he suffered because of continuous rescheduling of his matches – he had to withdraw from a number of super tournaments and practically was deprived of playing practice. He specified that it was “not about money or winning the title”; it was about his “disillusionment with the process and the others on which it depended.”
Yesterday’s announcement by Ilyumzhinov of raising the prize fund may be interpreted as the last attempt to return Kasparov to FIDE cycle. Ilyumzhinov said the 13th World Champion was sent a letter requesting his final decision regarding the match against Kasimdzhanov. FIDE president asked that the answer be given before February 26 – the Federation’s Presidential Council in Tbilisi.
Meanwhile, Kommersant has already received the answer yesterday. Kasparov refused to comment on the new suggestions by FIDE, although his mother Klara Kasparova told Kommersant correspondent that regardless of any suggestions, her son would not deny his January letter. Kasparova said they had been humiliated for three years, and would tolerate it no longer. If Ilyumzhinov had been really interested in returning Kasparov to FIDE cycle, he would have spoken to him personally after the letter was published in January. There was no response, however. She also said, Ilyumzhinov had made no contact with the Turkish representatives either.
So, it appears that the process of chess unification will go on without the World No. 1 player. However, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov seems to be prepared for that. Yesterday, he said that in case of Kasparov’s refusal other candidates will play against Kasimdzhanov – in particular, Viswanathan Anand (India) or Peter Leko (Hungary). And three countries have already offered to host the match – Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 16, 2005
|
|
|
