Andrew Paulson Steps Down as ECF President
On Saturday it was announced that Andrew Paulson has resigned as President of the English Chess Federation. In a statement on the ECF website it is written that the Board of the federation accepts Mr Paulson's resignation, but nominates him for the position of Deputy President of the European Chess Union. Last month Mr Paulson had lost a vote of confidence at an extraordinary meeting of the Board, but decided not to step down.
Saturday, March 8th at noon a message was posted on the website of the English Chess Federation, saying that Andrew Paulson has stepped down as President. Here's the full text:
“The English Chess Federation Board resolved nem con on 7 March 2014 to amicably settle an internal matter.
The Board has today accepted the resignation of Andrew Paulson as President. The Board gratefully recognises Andrew Paulson’s contributions to English chess, from his organising of the FIDE Grand Prix and Candidates Tournaments in London to his untiring service since his election as President. Further, the Board nominates Andrew Paulson for the position of Deputy President of the European Chess Union and looks forward to a close and constructive collaboration between the ECU and the ECF. The Board recommends that the ECF Council at its April meeting approves a Motion to give Andrew Paulson standing during the ECU General Assembly election meeting in Tromsø in August by designating him as the official ECF Delegate at that meeting.”
The following statement by Mr Paulson was quoted by Chessdom:
“Yesterday’s Board Meeting was an opportunity to address differences through compromise. We are all happy and parted friends and look forward to working together going forward.”
Soon after the news came out, the FIDE Delegate of the English Chess Federation, GM Nigel Short, tweeted:
Excellent! Andrew Paulson has finally been removed as ECF President. I trust that Council will NOT grant him support in the ECU.
— Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) March 8, 2014
On the English Chess Forum Mr Short confirmed that the resignation of Mr Paulson and his nomination for the position of ECU Deputy President was a compromise solution to the stalemate position of the English Chess Federation's leadership.
“Guys, this was a compromise by the Board (at my expense) to get rid of Andrew Paulson as President immediately. He has now gone - and good riddance too. On the downside, he now has 7 votes in his favour, out of c.300 at the Council meeting. Hopefully the ECF members will have the good sense not to support him in the ECU. Doing so would be a vote for the entirely unsuitable Candidate, Zurab Azmaiparashvili. It would also very seriously compromise my position as Delegate in favour of a guy who has, in the space of a few short months, lost the confidence of the Board and precipitated his own downfall.”
On February 8th, 2014 in an extraordinary meeting of the Board of the English Chess Federation, its President, Mr Paulson, had lost a vote of confidence. The situation reached an impasse as Mr Paulson decided not to step down.
