Norway Urge Bids For Anand v Carlsen

The Norwegian Chess Federation has written an open letter to FIDE to urge them to organise a full bidding process to decide the venue for the World Chess Championship match between Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen.

FIDE have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the All India Chess Federation to hold the match in Chennai, India from 6-26 Nov 2013. 

Meanwhile, the Norwegian paper VG Nett reports that the Mayor of Paris has written to FIDE President Kirsan Illyumzhinov to offer the French capital city - and birthplace of FIDE itself - as a venue for the match. 

Open letter to FIDE by the Norwegian Chess Federation

Federation Internationale Des Echecs

Mr. President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov / Presidential board

Oslo, fredag, 3. mai 2013

Dear Mr. Ilyumzhinov / Presidential board

With reference to the discussion that for some time has been going on between FIDE and Magnus Carlsen’s representatives with regard to the venue for the upcoming FIDE World Championship Match, the Norwegian Chess Federation finds reasons to intervene in this dialogue with a formal letter to FIDE.

As you are aware of Mr. Magnus Carlsen has expressed dissatisfaction with the plans to arrange the World Championship Match in Chennai, India without having any formal competition on the venue for this match. Mr. Carlsen’s view has been presented to FIDE both in emails and in a meeting in Athens with his manager and his lawyer.

It is our understanding of the rules and regulations for the FIDE World Championship Match 2013 that any federation or sponsor may bid for being an organizer. We strongly urge FIDE to facilitate a procedure that enables other interested parties to bid for the event. Furthermore FIDE must, based on the regulation consider all bids before making a final decision. From the regulations, it is not clear that FIDE has the right to grant Chennai an option.

We maintain, as expressed by Mr. Carlsen, that it will be an advantage both for the players and FIDE to have a fair and transparent procedure and competition for the selection of the organizer and also for the reputation of chess in general.

Since the Championship is to be held in November, there will be acceptable time to consider other bids and make a qualified decision in due time prior to the event.

The Norwegian Chess Federation expects that FIDE will follow its own regulation for the World Championship Match enabling others to bid for the event as was the procedure for selection of the organizer for the 2014 Chess Olympiad.

We would like to emphasize that this is not a campaign against Chennai as an organizer; it is merely a request to follow the rules and principles of transparency and fairness.

This letter should be regarded as formal complaint on the process for selecting the organizer for the World Championship Match 2013.

Sincerely,

Jøran Aulin-Jansson

President

Norway Chess federation

Tlf. + 47 91 33 22 42

e-post: jj@sci-group.net

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Open letter via TWIC.