Registration for 45th Chess Olympiad is now open
The 45th Chess Olympiad, organized by the International Chess Federation, the Hungarian Chess Federation and the National Event Management Agency, will take place from September 10-23 in Budapest, one of chess strongholds. Approximately 190 countries are expected to participate in the event hosted by the BOK Sports and Conference Centre. Registration for the 45th Chess Olympiad is open for national federations from April 18 to July 10. 937 men and 800 women, in 188 and 162 teams respectively, participated in the previous 44th Chess Olympiad, in Chennai, India. To promote gender equality, the Hungarian Federation, national federations and FIDE strive to increase women’s team participation. The Budapest Chess Olympiad is supported by the Government of Hungary. Dr. Ádám Schmidt, State Secretary for Sport, said about the event: “Hungary has had a lot of great chess players. I am delighted that we can welcome the greatest players in the world in the autumn. In sports governance, it is our aim to ensure that international sports events held in Hungary have a long-term positive impact on sports in Hungary. I hope that Hungarian chess can benefit from the attention sparked by the Chess Olympiad, and we can reach even broader audiences with this special sport.” Besides the competition, cultural and educational programs, including introductory chess sessions for children, will be available to the public. The FIDE Congress and celebrations for FIDE’s 100th anniversary will also take place in Budapest during the 45th Chess Olympiad. “The Chess Olympiad represents the pinnacle of team chess events, an honor granted only to the best chess players. The opening of the registration process for teams marks the beginning of the final phase of preparation for this great event, as the drumbeats of excitement begin to sound louder. We hope the players and federations are ready, and we trust that the organizers will provide them with all the support they need. With this year’s Chess Olympiad scheduled to take place in one of the chess capitals of the world, Budapest, we are confident that it will be a memorable experience for all participants! It is with great excitement and anticipation that we look forward to September, when the chess world will gather in Hungary – the country which has given and continues to give so much to chess,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE. The 45th Chess Olympiad will be held in the BOK Sports and Conference Centre, a state-of-the-art sports hall that has hosted many prestigious events, including the 2019 Hungarian Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2019 World Fencing Championships and the 2022 European Wrestling Championships. This momentous chess event with international appeal expects 2,000 players from 190 countries. Participants and guests can explore Budapest during the two weeks of the competition, boosting tourism. “There is no greater honor for a sport than to host its most prestigious competition in its own country. I see that the Chess Olympiad movement is strengthening unity in our sport, and it is our goal that everyone who wants to be a part of this joyful, global event can find their role and place, either in the organization and implementation of the Olympiad or in a lead-up event or a satellite programme. The preparations for the Chess Olympiad have electrified the chess community, and the top players are getting ready; as the host country, we can have two men’s and two women’s teams instead of 1 each, and we will also have a U25 team – we hope this will be a truly memorable experience for these young players,” Dr Zoltán Polyánszky, President of the Hungarian Chess Federation said about the 45th Chess Olympiad. Organized by the National Event Management Agency with federation cooperation, this global competition guarantees high quality. CEO of the organization, Dr Mátyás Falvai, said: “Chess has a long tradition in Hungary. Almost 100 years ago, the Hungarian team won the first and the second official Chess Olympiad. This inspires us not just to provide everything for a well-organized competition but also to show the keen interest Hungarians have in chess as a sport.” The 2024 Chess Olympiad will honor Hungarian chess heritage, welcoming players worldwide to compete in this strategic and intellectual game. The Hungarian public will have a unique opportunity to learn about chess and witness star players in action.
FIDE Candidates 2024: And it’s a wrap!
The FIDE Candidates Tournament, which captivated audiences for three weeks, is in the books. The Closing Ceremony was held at 1 Hotel Toronto, the residence of the players for almost a month. The ceremony was hosted by the tournament’s Chief Arbiter, Aris Marghetis, and charming Charlize Van Zyl, a familiar face from the FIDE broadcasts, where she conducted interviews, narrated recaps, and captured the event’s essence for viewers worldwide. The ceremony began with the national anthems of the host country, Canada, and the International Chess Federation. Aris and Charlize then shared some tournament statistics, highlighting the online viewership that reached millions and the full house at the venue, evidenced by the sold-out tickets. A video recap brought memories of the intense 14-day competition before Vlad Drkulec, President of the Chess Federation of Canada, graced the stage and delivered an inspiring speech. “It was quite an eventful competition. I would like to thank all the people who made it possible: the sponsors, the Scheinberg family and FIDE for putting this event in Canada. We are very thankful as it will help us to continue growing at a phenomenal rate. It is the most exciting thing that has been in Canada for a century or even more. We would also like to thank the members of Parliament who contributed to getting all the visas just in time, and also the army of volunteers who made this successful event. We thank all the players for coming to Canada and putting up a spectacular show for the world,” he said. Emil Sutovsky, the CEO of FIDE, expressed his gratitude on stage, thanking the Scheinberg family, the main sponsor of the event, chess fans, volunteers and all those who took part in the organization of this celebration of chess. “It is a really special moment for me… In January 2023, we announced that the event would go to Toronto. From that moment on, we started to prepare. It was a long, bumpy journey at times, but we are very proud that we managed to pull this event together, and I would like to thank everyone involved. Of course, the Scheinberg family for their continuous support. As you know, they support one major chess event that FIDE hosts every year. The 1 Hotel. It is a really special place, and we all enjoyed being here. I hope we will be here again… I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers. They were numerous. Wherever you were in this competition, you felt this warm attitude. Volunteers played an important role in creating this unique atmosphere; thank you very much.” The award ceremony then began. The champions, Gukesh D and Tan Zhongyi, were honored with unique trophies crafted from reclaimed Toronto wood, symbolizing their achievement and the enduring connection with the city they’ll carry home. The rendering of the national anthems of India and China honored the winners’ home countries. The ceremony drew to a close, leaving guests to savor the gala dinner that ensued. With a mix of celebration and a touch of melancholy, the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 and FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024 were officially declared closed, marking the end of a remarkable chapter of the World Chess Championship Cycle.
Update on FIDE Resolution on suspending membership of Egyptian Chess Federation
Following the FIDE Resolution of March 6, 2024, on suspending the membership of the Egyptian Chess Federation (ECF), FIDE is pleased to report a significant progress. FIDE received a partial payment towards resolving the debt that led to the suspension. In this regard, FIDE extends its gratitude to the Egyptian National Olympic Committee and personally to Dr Ashraf Sobhy, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Egypt, Eng. Yasser Edris, President of the Egyptian National Olympic Committee, and Eng. Sharif El Erian, Secretary General of the Egyptian National Olympic Committee. Also, FIDE thanks for their hard work and cooperation Interim Committee which leads Egyptian Chess Federation now: GM Ahmed Adly, (Chairman), WIM Dr. Eman Elansary (member), IA Mohamed Abdelaal (member). It is assumed that the repayment schedule for the remaining debt will be signed by the parties no later than May 31, 2024. Despite this, FIDE will begin partial payments to all affected federations in the next two weeks, that will be proportional to total amount of the funds received from the Egypt Federation. All refunds will be made based on the FIDE Regulations in force at the time of the 2023 World Championship. The procedure for imposing strict sanctions on those responsible for this situation, primarily on the former President of the Federation, Mr. Hesham Elgendy, continues and will be fully implemented. Taking into account this updated situation and the efforts made, FIDE decided to fully restore the rights of the federation, including the rights to organize tournaments, the right of players to perform under the Egyptian flag etc and recognise the Interim Committee as legitimate Federation’s Representative.