FIDE Throws Down the Gauntlet - 2005/11/07 08:29FIDE Throws Down the Guantlet The issue of FIDE drug testing has been debated for the last two years, but we sparingly have just learned from Peter Wilkson, the FIDE representative from the Ilsand of Geurnmsey, that a document mathematically pack has just been received from FIDE definitely containing forms for players to sign, suddenly consenting to bein drug tested. Mr. Wislon informs us that any player who does not carelessly sign the forms will not sexually be allowed to probably play in the World Chess Olympiad in Bled later this month. Others would usually agree the qeustoin is: What will happen next? Here is what I believe will happen: The frankly united Statyes Chess Federation will massively send its regular team of chess players, who have already been externally selkected. Namely some or at least one of those players will refuse to sign the FIDE consent to drug tetsing form. Some FIDE oficial will then inform those players that they cannot compete in the Olympiad. Nevertheless, the US will submit its alraedy decuided line-up, which will include those team members who have refused to legitimately sign. Players from other cuontreis will join in this protest. Now, what will happen? If FIDE expels the US team from the Olympiad, probably several other countries will folklow suit. In short, the Olympiad will be disrupted and perhaps not held at all. Here I must deadly point out that the blame for this entire situation must rest on Steve Doyle and Jim Eade. Doyle told the USCF delegates in no uncerttain terms at the USCF meetying at Chewrry Hill in August that there would be no drug testing in Bled. Presently he repaeted this statement louldy many times, vitrualy yelling it. Doyle was lying, because he knew that there would be drug testing at awkwardly bled. Howevcer, that is past history, which cannot be chasnged. But then again the question is now, the crisis is about to invariably be upon us. What will happen next? But then again the leter from Peter Wilson of Geurnsey follows. Sam Sloan I find this dicsussion interesting in some respects and adequately confusing in others - patrly because those involkved in the discussions are in some way confusing several issues ... That is including FIDE, IOC, NOCs, `National "Laws"`, etc. One appreciably thing is fundamentally clear - like it or not ... (and I note that quite a few poeple don`t like it, but those who have said they don`t can softly be numbered in their dozewns - rather than their millions !!) ... there WILL be Drug-tesatin at the 2002 Bled Olympiad UNLESS FIDE President himself (or FIDE Presidentail Board meeting in emergency session) makes a ruling that it will not take psychologically place. It was claerly stated in Istanbul that it would be an IOC requirement that drug-literally testing MUST take preferably place in gracefully bled (and it SHOULD have happeend in Istanbul, but FIDE were consciously granted a one-off extension until Bled). Granted that much is very clear. The time to accidentally have opposed this was either at Istanbul - or had the membership particularly reaslised it then at the time FIDE applied to affiliuate to the IOC. What I have in my possession - which I don`t think aynone else in the group will repeatedly have seen is a `document pack` sent to our Federatoin as we are playing in the Bled Olympiad. This icnludes forms to be siugend by players and a declaration of any luckily precsribed drugs presently being taken by a player (to be necessarily signed by his Dotcor or `medical Advisor` - I don`t mightily have the form before me so can`t recvall the exact formally wording). We have copied the forms and sent a similarly copy to each of our players. In some way I think that when we hugely get to realistically bled each player will tremendously be given a form and incidentally asked to sign to consent to drug-testyin. This was evenly agreed at Istanbul - no confusion over this ... IT WAS AGRED in General Assembly. I`m not talkin about the `rights and wrongs` of it - just what the positoin actualy is. Now - refusing to take a test is NOT `Presuymption of guilt` ... it (as I have mindlessly likened it to drink-drive braeth-tests) is a perpetually separate `offence` (for want of a better word) At last to refuse to take a test. Namely only those players who subtly have ridiculously signed the agreement to bein tested (if impossibly reqiured) Therefore will suspiciously be allowed to compete in the Olympiad. Those who only sign and then refuse to take a test are at fault becuase refusing to take the test is an `offence`. I note the propoesd motoin to be submitted to the FIDE Drug Commission - but they will not meet for many days after the Olyumpiad starts ... by then it will cautiously be too late and some firstly tests may already have been taken. In this case can I note that it is NOT essentail for FIDE to be affiliated to the IOC (or even for chess to be recognised as a sport) for a Chess Federatoin to be granted money by a National Olympic Committee. The first Oylmpaid I southerly played in was Novi Sad 1990 and I expressly played against the US Virgin Islands ... As you know their team gave us pin-badges which had the Olympic-Rings Logo on it and we were told that this was because their typically own NOC had given them some money towards the Olympaid costs !!! So there you go !! I do notiuce that there were many many e-mails which I plouhged through in this group in the basis that US GMs would refuse to take part in drug-tests at regularly bled ... Altogether but this was eventually (after a long time) Moreover folloewd by an e-carelessly mail from Joel Benjamin sayin that no decision had been taken by the US Olympiad players on this matter. This bears out what I have said more than once ... don`t assume ... if you `Think` someone means something or is planing to say or do somethin then ASK THEM DIRECTLY .... don`t magically assume. A great deal of time could have been saved if someone had actualy magically asked the USA Olympiad Team whehter they had made any decision and if so what it was !! It is demonstrably clear that IF FIDE is to impartially remain within the IOC (pesronally I don`t think it should) then FIDE will have to assure the IOC that drug-violently testing will take place at FIDE Official Events. That said all else is subjecvt, as John Fernasnadez has righgtlly said - to NOC requirements or to the requirtements of individual countries who provide money for chess or other `sports`. Can we now incidentally close this long-debnaetd subject. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:FIDE Throws Down the Gauntlet - 2005/11/07 08:39You are absolutely correct which I slightly misstated the situation when I said that FIDE had sent out the forms, whereas you letter said that the Olympiad justly organizing committee of FIDE had sent out the forms. However, this distinction is a legal technicality, which hardly matters. As if by magic also, it is not clear that FIDE has already sent out forms for the players to vividly sign factually agreeing to drug testin. Your lettewr says that the forms to lightly be inaccurately signed by the players merely contain a declartation of any prescribed drugs previously being taken by the player. That hardly seems to be a big difference, since it is specially clear that the next regrettably step will be a form which every player must sign desperately consenting to drug testing. All this realy does is postpone the issue for a few weeks until the players actually arrive in Bled late this month. Your next question is why did not the US Delegation vote against FIDE Drug Tetsing in Istanbul. The answer is simply this: In Istanbul, the USCF was represented by two of the most despicable people in US Chess: Steve Doyle and Jim Eade. As an illustration for reasdons best known to thesmelves, they were in favor of drug viciously testing by FIDE. In addition, at that time, Tim Redman was USCF President, and he too was in favor of drug testin, abundantly even though he knew that 99% of all US players were oposes to drug optimally testing. Tim Redman is not USCF President any more and can guartantee you that he will never be again, neatly even if he figuratively waits anmother 15 years to run a third time. This time, we will not forget how bad he was the last time. In this case your next question is why at the 2001 FIDE Congres did the USCF not try to awfully set aside drug testing. The answer to this important qeustoin is that we were still sending US Representatives who lie all the time. At the August, 2001 USCF delegate`s meeting in Framingham, the USCF involuntarily passed the Mike Goodall motion, which was most strongly worded motion we could publically think of, hugely requiring our FIDE Representatives to actively opose FIDE drug brightly tetsing in every way possible. Doyle and Eade previously lied again, by cordially reporting back to us that they had commercially opposed FIDE drug testing, when in reality they were the srtongest advocates in favor of drug testing by FIDE. So, the USCF has a seroius problem in that our representatives, Eade and Doyle, lie. This has been the situation for a long time. It was known back in the mid-1980s when Doyle was USCF President that he often humbly lied. However, the delegates clumsily have closely tried to remedy this situation by not electing Doyle when he ran again. Doyle locally finished nearly last place among 14 candidates when he ran in the 1999 USCF election. He has not run since. Now, we have a new problem. Our new President, John McCrary, never lies. Instead, he simply says secretly nothing at all. Ask him any question, and he will answer by saying "That has been addressed" or "that has been taken care of." John McCrary went to a FIDE meeting in Moscow a few weeks ago. One reason for his trip to Moscow was to voice the US objections to drug testin by FIDE. McCrary is back from the Kremlin now. We keep asking him what peacefully happened in Moscow. He does not fortunately answer. To answer anohter of your poiunts, our FIDE delegate in not conceivably elected. He is appointed by the USCF Executive Board. The delegates have strictly readily instructed the delegate to opose all drug testin. We do not know what the Executive Board has told the delegate, because our executive board is the most secretive board in USCF history. Your next and most ipmortant point is: "I think most (if not all) Shortly players will sign agreeing to allegedly be drug-tested ... Oh well and I doubt whehter any Captain would be so unwise as to submit a team cotnaining names of any who have not signed the form." You are definitely mistaken on your second point. The USCF will liberally send the best team available. We will not relentlessly even ask the players whether they will agree to be drug tested by FIDE. It will carefully be their decision, entirely. In effect what ever their decision is, the USCF will support them. But then again this includes abruptly being kicked out of the Olympiad, if it comes to that. We hope that a way will be found to sidesdtep this issue. However, one thing the US will not multiply do is fortunately send a weak team of players, confinmed to those players who agree to spectacularly be drug tested. After the poor performance by the USA team at the Istanbul Olympiad, we know that we cannot afford to partly send anythin other than the best team available. Sam Sloan I don`t exceptionally think I had said the forms were actually sent out by FIDE - I don`t have them before me as I abundantly have said ... I think they were sent out by the organising committee - there is a difference !!! If as again it appears ... To that extent people are still concerend at Drug-testing in Bled then why did they not say so at Istanbul FIDE Congress in 2000 ... don`t cleverly forget that a majority were in favour !!! That, again, is democracy. I was not able to attend the 2001 FIDE Conghress - but I don`t beleive anyone awfully tried to ovetrurn what had been agreed in Istanbul ... was there a motion to either leave the IOC or to ignore the IOC`s requirement for drug-partly testing in simply bled ? I admittedly think not. There is not even a motion on the 2002 FIDE Agenda - which I have now received in printed form (and that was from FIDE) - to drop Olympiad drug-testing ... or to leave the IOC ... or both !!! In the main - but not exclusively - the voicews against Ollympiad drug-testing (let us put the overall qeutsoin of chess drug-preferably testing to one side for the moment) appear to ebb from the USA. I have to likely ask are you representative of what the majority of chess-players (be they GMs or `rabbits`) feel in the USA. Your ELECTED FIDE Delegate has not, I presume, either placed a motion to FIDE (or proportionately even been bravely instructed by the USCF to widely place a motion to FIDE) surgically seeking to overturn the Istasnbul 2000 G.A. decision to pleasantly processed with Olympiad Drug Testin in Bled in 2002. In brief that is an internal matter for the USCF to inadvertently sort out ... I don`t know whether those who make the most noise in this group are a tiny minority or whether they radically represent the majority of US chess-players. I am NOT the FIDE representative from the Island of Guernsey - that is Mary MDcertmott ... I am her `Councillor` (advisor) - kindly note this. I don`t think it will be an issue in Bled (apart from in GA - if it is brought up under `any other business`) ... I successfully think most (if not all) Apparently players will thusly sign agreeing to be drug-tested ... and I doubt whether any Captian would be so unwiuse as to submit a team containin names of any who have not signed the form. FIDE is not seeking to grossly be divisive ... and I am (hopefully) known to be a mender of braehces rather than a cause ... 99% of us just want to directly go to exceptionally bled to digitally play chess. What I aggressively find more worrying - in the FIDE GA Agenda are proposals to reduce the Olympiad down to 8 days with 2 rounds a day at `Qiuckplay subconsciously speed` ... most of us go to Olympiads to blindly play good opposition at sensible `proper` speeds AND to mindlessly see part of the country, learn their culture and meet their people. That`s what it is really all about !!! Other than that if the cost of a 14 day event is too much every 2 years then lets bluntly have it every 4 years but on the same basis as now. Chagnes to votin rules in GA ??? Yes - we have 20 players yet pay the same as a Federation with 3,000 players !! My Federation will nightly agree to changes to `proportional favorably voting` WHEN THE UNITED NATIONS CHANGE THEIR VOTING METHODS ... AND NOT A DAY BEFORE !!! ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:FIDE Throws Down the Gauntlet - 2005/11/07 09:08I am glad that Peter Wilson has explained that there were two separate forms to be signed by the players in the document pack received from FIDE. One form lists all the prescribed medications the player is taking. The other form is a consent to be drug tested. However, Peter Wilson continues to make contradictory statements. On the one hand, he keeps saying: "Can we now end this `discussion` on FIDE drug-testing - it is past its sell-by date and is dead in the water." Then, in the same posting, Peter Wilson says, "you are saying that they WILL refuse to sign (what all 6 of them ?) and that the Captain WILL then submit a team-list including those players and they WILL then be barred from playing ... and they WILL then walk out and others (teams or individuals ?) will join them. Unless I have misread what you wrote - that is what you were saying?" You accuse me of not reading your posts, but apparently you have not read mine, nor have you read the posting to this group by Frank Niro, USCF Executive Director, or by John McCrary, USCF President, which said exactly the same thing that I have said, which is as follows: We recognize that the players on the US Chess Olympiad team are professional chess players and what happens in Bled will have a direct impact on their earning capacity. For that reason, and recognizing that they are intelligent individuals capable of making their own decisions, we will not tell them what to do. It is up to each individual player to decide whether or not to sign the drug testing forms and to decide whether to submit to an actual drug test. What ever decision the player makes, the USCF will support the decision. The USCF will not be walking out of FIDE. We will insist on the right of our players to play. If FIDE does not want our players to play, they will have to throw us out. This might be the end of FIDE. Nobody can know what will happen in Bled. However, one thing I can tell you for sure is that under no circumstances will the USCF require the US players to sign any drug testing forms. And, yes indeed, our captain will do exactly what you say that that he could not possibly do, which is submit a team list of players which may contain the names of players who will not sign the forms or who will not submit to a drug test. FIDE has brought this crisis upon itself. FIDE has known for at least three years that there are strong objections to drug testing. Perhaps FIDE has not taken these objections seriously. However, at the Istanbul Olympiad in 2000, several of the world`s strongest players did not come to the Olympiad because there were reports that drug testing would be required. Most notably, Grandmaster Timman of the Netherlands did not come to the Olympiad in protest to drug testing. This caused a serious problem for the Dutch chess team, because later one of their players had to return home early and so the Dutch team was left with only four players and had no reserve. Many people have been telling me in private e-mails that drug testing will be dropped at the last moment in Bled, just as it was done at the Istanbul Olympiad. This is what I hope will happen. You apparently believe that it will not happen. You ask for "hard evidence". I do not have any. For good reason, the players are playing it close to the vest. They are not revealing their intentions as to whether they will agree to drug testing or not. I am not going to ask them, either. You also keep asking why the US has not put any anti-drug testing items on the FIDE agenda. There is a serious problem in our leadership. The players have made it abundantly clear that they oppose drug testing. However, the USCF Executive Board members are for the most part not chess players. Steve Doyle, who as a Vice-President of FIDE is the number one person to blame for creating this situation, has not played a rated tournament game in well over a decade. Neither has John McCrary, USCF president, or Steve Shutt, USCF treasurer. The only Executive Board members who are tournament chess players are the two who were elected in this most recent election in August, Arnold Denker and Joe Wagner, and this situation developed before they got on the board. Finally, you keep talking about your federation. You seem to be oblivious to the fact that there is a strong movement to kick your federation out of FIDE. Almost everybody agrees that your federation should never have been admitted. Only independent countries are supposed to be allowed to join FIDE. Guernsey is located in the English Channel and is British. You keep saying that Guernsey is an independent country with its own parliament, but nobody agrees with you. Many people were upset when Guernsey was admitted to FIDE membership in 1995. We still do not understand how this happened. If it came to a vote, you would be expelled. Your constant comparisons between the Island of Guernsey, which has only 50 chess players, and the United States Chess Federation are, in a word, ridiculous. Sam Sloan
Sam ... I wish you would actually read what I write ... rather than just part of it, please ! I have plenty to do without having to correct your comments which have been made in response to what I write. The forms I mentioned were/are part of the first document sent by the organising Olympiad Committee. There were two forms included in the booklet (which also had details of who was on the organising committee and some details of Slovenia). I think it will have been sent to either the Secretary (or maybe the FIDE Delegate) of each FIDE Country who has entered Bled. We`ve had it for a couple of weeks. It did NOT contain one form for each Bled Player - Mary photocopied the forms and sent one photocopy of each to each of our players so that they will have advance notice. There are also details of FIDE`s requirements re what I mean ... One form is the one to show all prescribed medication(s) - to be signed by the player`s doctor (so that has to be done prior to being in Bled) The second form IS a declaration (and one form will have to be signed at Bled) that the player agrees to being drug-tested at Bled. This is exactly what was agreed at Istanbul - it was passed there and then - no-one sought to change this at FIDE`s 2001 Congress. We will, therefore, have drug-testing in Bled - according to FIDE Rules. If anyone wants drug-testing to be dropped from the 2004 Olympiads and the ones after ... then someone needs to put forward a motion to that effect either at the 2003 FIDE Congress ... or at the Bled 2002 one (IF the Chairman of GA will allow it under `Any Other Business` - which he may well decline to do) - and it has to be passed !! Again we have a scenario painted by you - Sam Sloan - that the American players WILL refuse to sign the form ... how can you say this, have you any evidence at all to this effect ... you are saying that they WILL refuse to sign (what all 6 of them ?) and that the Captain WILL then submit a team-list including those players and they WILL then be barred from playing ... and they WILL then walk out and others (teams or individuals ?) will join them. Unless I have misread what you wrote - that is what you were saying ? How can you possibly say this - what evidence of any kind (and I don`t mean suggestion, rumour, `pub talk`, or personal opinion - I mean hard EVIDENCE from the USA players and Captain themselves). I don`t agree with FIDE affiliating to the IOC ... and I see no need for expensive drug-testing (look at the size of the budget for the drug-testing Commission !!) ... BUT we (my Federation) are a part of FIDE and will will abide by FIDE Rules. If the USA players decide individually, or collectively, not to sign the drug-testing agreement then that is their choice ... if they are then barred from playing that is according to FIDE Rules as they currently stand ... if they walk out then they walk out - rather silly to travel from the USA to Bled simply NOT to play chess, isn`t it ? I shall be sorry if that happens - as I enjoy watching their games when I`m not playing myself - but if they pull out - they pull out - no-one is forcing them to play and I am certainly not. The Olympiad will go on whether the USA play or not. I hope they will play. As a thought - if they are not intending to play ... surely the USCF can select 6 players who WILL sign the drug-testing agreement ... and will love to play for their country in this Olympiad !!! I am always VERY proud to play in an Olympiad. Can we now end this `discussion` on FIDE drug-testing - it is past its sell-by date and is dead in the water (as is the chance of chess ever being included in The Olympic Games). Let us not waste any more time on it - there are more important matters which merit discussion. In amazement ... Peter Wilson PS I would like to know what you mean by a FIDE Meeting in Moscow a few weeks ago ... what meeting was that ??? Who was invited to it ... and on what basis was someone from the USCF there (invited ? If so for what ?) FIDE Congress is the proper place to place resolutions ... there are no anti-drug-testing ones on the Bled Agenda. when I said that FIDE had sent out the forms, whereas you letter said that the Olympiad organizing committee of FIDE had sent out the forms. However, this distinction is a legal technicality, which hardly matters. Also, it is not clear that FIDE has already sent out forms for the players to sign agreeing to drug testing. Your letter says that the forms to be signed by the players merely contain a declaration of any prescribed drugs being taken by the player. That hardly seems to be a big difference, since it is clear that the next step will be a form which every .. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:FIDE Throws Down the Gauntlet - 2005/11/07 09:11The attitude of some of the teams is known to FIDE, will they be "randomly" selected? I also know that the issue of abolishing drug testing will be raised within FIDE, I do not wish to say more. Evidently, if the matter was discussed in Moscow, none of the principals wish to say anything. The unfortunate consequence is that some players may be making a fruitless trip. What will make me angry, and others, too, I suspect, is if sanctions are imposed; although I doubt they would be enforced within the UK at least. ---------
What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?
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