But Pinoy journo Rey Bancod has just informed his readers that the local federation, National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), is still undecided on the issue of whom to actually support.
Go Teng Kok, for example, ex-NCFP boss is very definitely on Bessel Kok's side. "If I were to vote for the NCFP, I will go for Bessel Kok", says Kok.
So what will the NCFP do about Abundo? This from Bancod:
"Since 1956, the federation has let its FIDE delegate decide on the country’s choice. Let everyone be heard from now on," said [NCFP executive-director Sammy] Estimo.
The NCFP has designated Toti Abundo, a known ally of Ilyumzhinov, as FIDE delegate, but Estimo believes that Abundo can’t go against the wishes of the NCFP board if and when it makes its choice.
If I may answer our question: I hope that the NCFP will vote for Bessel Kok. The chess world needs new leadership! The problem is, from Chessbase's report it would seem that many federations are throwing their support for the current regime. Yet we also see that many are undecided - including even our neighbours, the kiwis!
It might be time to call upon the high heavens for some divine intervention. I'm sorry to say, I think that is what's needed to remove Ilyumzhinov.
2 comments:
Who cares what the Phillipines think. They are irrelevant.
And that is exactly what is wrong with the current voting system. These deficiencies were not as obvious in the '70s and '80s, when there were far fewer member countries and 'bloc voting' (all Soviet sattelites voting with the Soviet Union, etc.) was the norm. Since Campomanes' 'world tours' have made so many more countries members of FIDE (commendable as that is, I'm sure Campo was not unaware of the additional numbers of votes that could be depended upon to go his way at minimal cost in bribes), and these smaller countries being so amenable to 'persuasion' (air tickets to Olympiads seems to be enough for a lot of them), we currently have a system which is completely unrepresentative of relative chess strength and open to corruption. Something definitely needs to change, but Kirsan is sure to have sown up all the votes he needs to win the election. Just look at Karpov's about-face, but then again, he has always had a rather 'practical' view of ethics and morality.
Post a Comment