"WE WILL PLAY TO BEAT ISRAEL"

The World Chess Federation (FIDE) proposes staging the World Chess Olympiad 2016 in Baku, FIDE's leader Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said at a recent meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

He noted that Azerbaijan pays special attention to chess. "Out of the 177 countries within the F?DE, Azerbaijan is the only one with a special state programme for developing this kind of sports", Ilyumzhinov said.

The Azerbaijani president highly regarded the proposal to stage the World Chess Olympiad 2016 in Baku. Having turned into a sports centre of Europe Azerbaijan now aspires to host yet another prestigious international tournament. 

For Baku this chess tournament can become the biggest mass competition ever held. Male and female teams from 165 countries will take party. Together with members of the delegations, journalists and representatives of the federations the city may be visited by around 4,000 people. 

Who are competitors?

Other pretenders for the chess Olympiad are Bulgaria and Estonia. Bulgaria wanted to host the 2014 Olympiad but the Norwegian city of Tromso won back then. Bulgaria suggests conducting the 2016 tournament in the town of Albena. Estonia proposed Tallinn. Although experts are cautious about Estonia's chances, both contenders are considered formidable ones. World champion Veselin Topalov supports Bulgaria's proposal. The country has hosted various chess tournaments many times and this increases her chances to host the Olympiad as well. 

Yet, the supreme chess organization wants the World Chess Olympiad 2016 and the World Cup 2015 to be held in the same country. However, experts believe that Bulgaria and Estonia will not be able to host two large tournaments on the world scale on the trot. This increases the chances of Azerbaijan, which said it was ready to also host the World Cup.

Advantages of Baku-2016

Considering the already listed and some other factors experts name Baku as the likeliest candidate for hosting the World Chess Olympiad 2016. The Chess Grand Prix, matches of the world team and Azerbaijan and also the world junior championships were already held here.

The growing economic capabilities of the country also play a role. The joint address by the Azerbaijani Chess Federation, Youth and Sports Ministry and the National Olympics Committee sent to the FIDE said that Azerbaijan is able to allocate enough funds to host the Chess Olympiad. The Olympiad is to be staged in the famous Baku Cristal Hall, where the Eurovision 2012 song contest was held.

Many in the Azerbaijani Chess Federation are certain that Baku will be entrusted with hosting the World Chess Olympiad 2016. "I admit that Bulgaria and Estonia are formidable rivals. But our capital has many advantages. First, let me note that following its hosting of the Eurovision song contest Baku is very popular. Our city is being compared with famous capitals of Europe. On the other hand, along with the Chess Olympiad Baku plans to host the World Cup 2015. We offered guarantees of staging both events at the high level. Other candidate cities only aspire for hosting the Olympiad", this is how Mahir Mammadov, the vice-president of the federation explains his optimism.

The management of the supreme chess organization, FIDE, also believes that Baku has the highest chances among the candidate cities. This is what FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told R+ correspondent while paying a one-day visit to Baku: "I am very glad that Baku wishes to host the Chess Olympiad. All members of the competition will be very pleased if they come here. There are conditions in Baku for staging large tournaments. If the congress supports Baku's candidacy, we will only be happy. Also President Ilham Aliyev, as the head of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan, supported our efforts to include the chess as an Olympic sport. He joined our appeal".

Players of the national chess team of Azerbaijan also support the initiative of hosting the Olympiad in Baku. "If the Chess Olympiad is held in Baku this will become a huge incentive for the youth. Four years remain until the Olympiad. Over this period one can prepare well and gain a place in the national team. We will be very happy to host the Olympiad in Baku. I would like to compete there", - said the member of the Azerbaijani team, Sahriyar Mammadyarov. 

Armenia unable to prevent

Azerbaijan has already twice expressed its wish to host contender tournaments in chess. However, both times the FIDE management gave these competitions to other countries because Armenian chess player Levon Aronyan refused to come to Baku. Will the Armenian team take place in the Chess Olympiad if it is held in Baku? This is what the FIDE president said in this regard: "Before coming to Azerbaijan I visited Armenia. The head of state, Serzh Sargsyan, is the head of the local chess federation. In a conversation with him I mentioned Baku's readiness to host the Chess Olympiad. I believe that there should be no problems on this matter. Azerbaijan guarantees the security of all teams. Therefore, there are no grounds for players to refuse to attend".  

At any rate, the country that will host the World Cup 2015 and the World Chess Olympiad 2016 will be determined during the FIDE congress in Istanbul on 7-8 September. Officials from the 165 countries will determine the host of the tournament through a secret ballot. Azerbaijan already began the information work within the framework of the 2012 World Olympiad that commenced in Istanbul on 27 August.

FROM ORIGINAL SOURCE

"I am very glad that Baku wishes to host the Chess Olympiad. All members of the competition will be very pleased if they come here. There are conditions in Baku for staging large tournaments. If the congress supports Baku's candidacy, we will only be happy", - 

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE president