Two days after Ian Nepomniachtchi’s Telegram post criticizing the the way the FIDE World Cup was organised, the secretary general of FIDE, the global governing body of chess, has applauded the way the event has been organised by the host state of Goa and the Indian chess federation, AICF.
“I’d played in India before (in 2019 in Kolkata), so I had a good idea of what the conditions would be like. But FIDE, to its credit, managed to surprise me. There’s nothing to say about the chess aspect. One of those places that you won’t be sad to leave,” Nepomniachtchi had posted on his Telegram account on Wednesday. However, he had not clarified what had irked him about the event.
“Constructive feedback is always valuable, but I think it’s important to recognize the effort and dedication behind this event. The conditions meet FIDE standards, and many players have expressed satisfaction with the organization,” Lukasz Turlej, who is the Secretary General at FIDE and has been designated as the Technical Delegate of the ongoing FIDE World Cup, told The Indian Express in a statement. “Goa has welcomed the chess world with warmth, and that deserves appreciation too. FIDE expresses its sincere appreciation to All India Chess Federation (AICF), the Government of Goa and Management and Staff of the Rio Resort for the organisation of the FIDE World Cup.”
Turlej added: “Every player experiences an event differently, and that’s absolutely fair — but from what I have seen here at the FIDE World Cup in Goa, the organizers and volunteers have been doing an incredible job to make things run smoothly for everyone. The All India Chess Federation and the Government of Goa have shown real professionalism and care in every detail, from logistics to player comfort.”
Nepomniachtchi was stunned by India’s Diptayan Ghosh in the second round of the World Cup and left the official hotel in less than an hour. FIDE said that the player had given no written complaint raising his issue with the organising of the event.
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