FIDE to charge $1 million for a presential bid.In an interview with Sport Express Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has revealed a startling plan to force any challenger during the May 2006 FIDE presidential election to put up $1 million for the privilege of running. He also reveals an equally revolutionary new plan for the World Chess Championship. First protests are already in.
The interveiw with Sport Express was conducted by Juri Vasiliev, who was travelling on the presidential plane from Moscow to Elista, the capital of the Russian Republic of Kalmykia, at the invitation of its president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. The latter is also the president of the world chess federation, and will be running for reelection in May 2006, during the Chess Olympiad in Turin, Italy.
In this interview with Vasiliev the FIDE president reveals some startling plans. The first is to introduce a $1 million deposit which must be provided by any challenger for the FIDE presidency. If the challenge is successful this money is used for the development of world chess; if he loses 20% if the sum is retained for the same purpose.
Another dramatic development is that FIDE will permit anyone to challenge the current World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov, provided he or she is rated 2700 or higher and is able to put up the prize fund – including a 20% fee for FIDE. Apparently the regular world championship cycle is unaffected by this rule. If Topalov should lose his title in this kind of free challenge he will simply be replaced by the new champion in the 2007 eight-player world championship.
Today we received a letter of protest from the French candidate for FIDE Presidency, Léo Battesti, who states that FIDE is employing dubious methods during their election campaign and that he intends to take steps against this. "I will express myself any time the equal opportunities policy will be flouted. Moreover, I will not fail to act in a court of law, if obvious violations of the equity rules are to be observed."
(Heimild: ChessBase.com)
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