Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of FIDE, the world chess federation, has provoked a tsunami of outrage from the chess world by his recent pally-wally visit to Muammar Gaddafi, the infamous and beleaguered leader of Libya. The wave of protest erupted after photographs of the eccentric FIDE boss playing chess with the Libyan leader in Tripoli was featured on a YouTube video and appeared in several major newspapers. The video shows Ilyumzhinov telling Gadaffi: "It's a great honour for me to be here, to see that you are very well, healthy, because many people might have the wrong information." For many chess players across the globe, this visit simply adds to the record of bizarre behaviour that marks Ilyumzhinov's joint career as president of the Russian republic of Kalmykia and head of the world chess body.
The man who should represent to the world the ideals of the royal game goes to Libya to personally renew his friendship with a dictator whose unrelieved oppression has finally provoked the rebellious wrath of his own people. What a disgraceful episode for the sport. Double Rooks now feels a sense of pride and full vindication for having strongly opposed Ilumzhinov's bid for another term as head of FIDE at last year's election. His trip to another planet in an alien spaceship can be considered his private business but bestowing FIDE's blessing on a repulsive tyrant must be seen as an affront to the chess world. According to a report on Chess Vibes, the meeting of the two "leaders" is "all the more remarkable" as Russia itself has joined the chorus of protest against Gadaffi remaining in power.
In fact, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has accepted a joint statement which condemns Gadaffi and the Libyan government for failing to fulfil "their responsibility to protect the Libyan population and have lost all legitimacy." The statement adds: "He has no future in a free democatic Libya. He must go." Still, there is some speculation that Ilyumzhinov's unseemly gambit may well have been part of a unilateral move by Russia to mediate some kind of settlement to the Libyan civil conflict. Giving some support to this idea is the "excellent relationship" which developed between the two "protagonists" when Libya hosted the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2004. Ilyumzhinov, however, said nothing about this in the live telephone interview he gave to the Echo of Moscow radio station before leaving Libya. Instead, his observations provide a disturbing insight into the nature of his thinking, particularly his poor appreciation for democratic ideals.
The FIDE leader had no regrets whatever over his meeting with Gaddafi, saying "it's nonsense when people demand that he goes." But is it surprising that the man who became fabulously wealthy during his 17-year rule over the small Buddhist republic in Russia should find a dictatorial soul-mate in Gaddafi whose exploits in terror has made his name legendary? According to reports, Russia backed his FIDE re-election campaign as a quid pro quo for him to release the stranglehold he exercised over Kalmykia and its economy. This exchange, in Double Rooks' view, is what makes Ilyumzhinov's Libyan gambit so unfortunate. He now represents chess and chess alone. Whatever he does as FIDE president must reflect on the sport as a whole, the quality of its administration and its standing in the world.
Ilyumzhinov seeks to justify his warm and embracing visit to his old friend in Libya as part of FIDE's promotional observance of "The Year of Africa" in repect to which he has already visited a number of countries on the continent. It seems bizarre, however, that the violent turmoil in Libya, the popular uprising for democratic change, the military support of NATO countries for the people's effort to oust their leader and the increasingly tenuous hold of Gaddafi on the leadership of the country were not regarded by the FIDE chief as good reasons for him to at least defer his visit to this nation torn by civil war. Indeed, the terrible charges brought by the International Criminal Court against the Libyan tyrant have clearly struck Ilyumzhinov as "no big thing." The ICC has apparently amassed sufficient evidence to issue an arrest warrant for Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and his Military Intelligence Chief on charges of crimes against humanity.
Also, according to the ICC's Chief Prosecutor, there is evidence to show that Gadaffi ordered the rape of hundreds of women as a way to spread fear of his regime and to curb dissent. Sources in the court say that he may also have distributed Viagra-type drugs to his troops "to enhance the possibility." It seems to Double Rooks there is something perverse, if not bizarre, in the photograph of the FIDE president playing a friendly game of chess with one of the world's most notorious dictators. The idea that the world chess body should appear to be bestowing some kind of legitimacy on Gaddafi and his murderous regime, particularly at a time when Libyans are sacrificing their lives in a desperate revolt to free themselves, is what has clearly enraged the conscience of the chess world.
The avalanche of comments received by Chess Vibes has been, for the most part, angry and cynical, some calling for Ilyumzhinov's instant removal. Here is a brief sampling. "Birds of a feather stick together," observes Simon. "A day to be ashamed of being in love with the game," mourns Theun. Arkan suggests that Ilyumzhinov organise a War Crimes Memorial double round robin to promote global chess. Nie observes in part: "I remember that Kirsan got there in the first place because he had a load of money and so nobody cared what his record was like. It was convenient to forget for the sake of cash, just like it was convenient to forget what Gaddafi was like for the sake of cash." Guncha says: "Now I understand why people from western countries do not sponsor FIDE events." Double Rooks finds Ebutaljib's comment the funniest: "I blame the aliens, not Kirsan personally. He takes orders from them."
