3 April 2018

Grandmasters Appeal to FIDE

Chess players shocked by Ethics Commission's decision regarding E. Solozhenkin.

 

To FIDE Directory

 From international grandmasters

3rd of April, 2018

 

We, the undersigned grandmasters, are outraged by the decision of the FIDE Ethics Commission to disqualify our colleague GM Evgeniy Solozhenkin. 

Case no. 5/2017:

GM Evgeniy Solozhenkin is sanctioned as follows:

A ban of 18-months, with effect from the date of this decision, is imposed disqualifying GM Solozhenkin from: 

(a) being present at any official tournament appearing on the FIDE calendar (including Youth and Junior events) and/or attending any FIDE meeting anywhere in the world (including Russia), whether as an organizer, player, trainer, manager, arbiter, accompanying person, delegate, representative or in any other capacity, and from

(b) participating as a player in any FIDE-registered tournament outside of Russia.

At present, Evgeniy Solozhenkin is the world senior champion as a member of the Russian national team, coach of the Northwestern Federal District of Russia, coach of the Russian national youth chess team and a father of a talented young chess player.  

Evgeniy has dedicated his whole life to chess. Chess is not merely a game for him, but also his only profession. Evgeniy has got two minor children, who will be left unprovided by the FIDE’s decision (to suspend Solozhenkin from work). 

Solozhenkin had expressed his opinion and produced arguments, but FIDE Ethics Commission deprived him of playing, coaching, working and being occupied with his favourite employment because of it.

We, grandmasters and coaches, get in touch with spectators, parents, and chess lovers every day. Our life and all our statements are discussed publicly by everybody. If your decision remains in effect, we, grandmasters, will interpret it as a signal to keep silence and sit on the fence instead of actively participating in the chess life. Chess will suffer from it most of all. 

In this connection, we ask you to cancel your decision to disqualify GM Solozhenkin.  

Respectfully yours, international grandmasters:

GМ A. Khalifman

GМ  A. Shirov

GМ F. Amonatov

GМ A. Deviatkin

GМ  S. Shipov

GМ  B. Grachev

GМ S. Beshukov

GМ I. Popov

GМ  VM. Mozharov

GМ  S. Ionov

GМ K. Alekseenko

GМ B. Annakov

GМ  N. Legky

GМ S. Zagrebelny

GМ A. Barsov

GМ V. Moiseenko

GМ N. Matinian

GМ I. Rozum

GМ S. Kasparov

GМ M. Chigaev

GМ I. Rausis

GМ D. Kokarev

GМ O. Korneev