By Venkatachari Jagannathan

Chennai, June 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Racism and apartheid by all the chess federations in Europe is evident as not even one of the 54 national chess federations endorsed our candidacy for the FIDE President election, alleged Enyonam Sewa Fumey, vice-president of Togo Chess Federation.

The FIDE has rejected the candidature of Enyonam Sewa Fumey for FIDE president’s post as his candidature was not endorsed by any member federation of the European continent.

The 40-year-old Fumey, who is also a member of FIDE’s Social Commission, had announced his decision to contest in the upcoming presidential elections in International Chess Federation commonly known as FIDE.

Asked about the presence of racism or apartheid in the global chess arena Fumey told IANS, “I think everybody can see it clearly! We approached all the Europe federations. All were aware that we need only one nomination from any of them to promote democracy! And even Candidate Andrii Baryshpolets sent a call to them in that aspect.”

Baryshpolets is one of the contestants for the FIDE president post and his candidature has been accepted by FIDE.

According to Fumey, a national chess federation can endorse only one candidate for the Presidential election.

“Europe has 54 federations. We approached them all! We approached their continental authorities. We signaled their blocking strategy, anti-democratical, even to FIDE President Arkady,” Fumey fumed.

“The Europeans, as one man through their various Presidents and delegates, have blocked the way to a “coloured” alternative,” he added.

“Knowing that an “endorsement” does not in any way affect the choices during the vote and is in no way the expression of a tendency, it is difficult not to reduce this admirable maneuver to the expression of gross injustice,” he added.

“We can have all the support from all over the world, but the absence of at least one European leads us here. Very difficult to see anything else,” he said.

The FIDE rejected the candidature of Fumey for president and Stuart Fancy for deputy president’s posts as their candidature was not endorsed by any member federation of the European continent.

Fumey and Fancy’s candidature was endorsed by the nominations of the FIDE Member Federations: Togo (Africa), Haiti (America), Papua New Guinea (Asia), Egypt (Africa), Senegal (Africa), Burkina Faso (Africa) and none from Europe.

Chess is said to be euro-centric, and we ask: when will chess become global, Fumey asked.

“In today’s FIDE, in the electoral process, you can get 40 supports from Africa, 40 from Asia, 40 from America, which is sufficient to win FIDE, however, if you miss one nomination from Europe, because they think chess belongs to them, you cannot even become a candidate for FIDE Presidency!!,” Fumey told chess players and enthusiasts.

“When the people stating clearly that chess is for Europe are prospering, when the people fighting against the “one federation – one vote” principle are succeeding, we, who are fighting to make chess for all are being blocked, and by only one continent hiding behind the empty word neutrality. What is neutrality when you are promoting others and disconsidering some because they are part of a said third world, or non aligned?,” he added in an open letter to brothers and sisters of the chess family.

“Even, President and Candidate, Arkady Dvorkovich, after presenting his ticket/team, said he will include representatives from Africa, America and South Asia later. Yes, only later, because we don’t deserve to be in the front now, like everybody else… For the moment, the best places can only be for others, those we are seeing in the #SayChess ticket/team, not us… When will chess become global?,” Fumey said.

“Have you ever worked in the FIDE administration when being from the global South? I did, and we hardly have a space there… When will chess become global?,” he added.

The FIDE has announced the following list of valid presidential candidacies — Andrii Baryshpolets, president and Peter-Heine Nielsen, deputy president; Inalbek Cheripov, president and Lewis Ncube, deputy president; Arkady Dvorkovich, president and Viswanathan Anand, deputy president; Bachar Kouatly, president and Ian Wilkinson, deputy president.

According to FIDE, the candidature of Dvorkovich and Anand was endorsed by the nominations of the following member federations: Tunisia (Africa), Mexico (America), India (Asia), Cyprus (Europe), Panama (America), Indonesia (Asia), Nigeria (Africa) and Montenegro (Europe).

The candidature of Baryshpolets and Nielsen was endorsed South Sudan (Africa), Curacao (former Netherlands Antilles) (America), New Zealand (Asia), England (Europe), Lithuania (Europe), Netherlands (Europe), Norway (Europe).

On the other hand, Cheripov and Ncube’s ticket was endorsed by the nominations of the following Member Federations: Sierra Leone (Africa), Barbados (America), Timor Leste (Asia), Ukraine (Europe), Zambia (Africa).

And the ticket of Kouatly and Wilkinson was endorsed by the national chess federations of Congo (Africa), Jamaica (America), Australia (Asia), Monaco (Europe), St. Kitts and Nevis (America), Grenada (America).

Elections to FIDE will be held in the Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre near here alongside the 44th Chess Olympiad in July-August.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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