Estonian delegate Villu Otsmann addresses the FIDE GA
The FIDE General Assembly was a blast of important decisions and historic votes. While the lack of democratic discussion and procedures during the Ethics Commission voting was called a farce, some even more suspicious proceedings happened this weekend.
In day 1 of the FIDE General Assembly Yolander Persaud elected FIDE Ethics Commission Chairman in a dramatic day that was called the first crucial election which Russia loses in the last 30 years. In day 2 the Russian / Kyrgyz proposal rejected by the FIDE General Assembly
The delegates seem to have had no choice after the Russian supported Candidate was discovered to have ties to Pro-Russian, right-wing, anti-immigration, anti-LGBT, populist and nationalist political party, while the US State Department pressed in coordination with possible IOC sanctions and loss of funding for federations.
The Estonian delegate Villu Otsmann, a reputable lawyer in his country, addressed the FIDE General Assembly regarding the Russian/Kyrgyz proposal.
Villu Otsmann, delegate of the Estonian Chess Federation
We are neighbors of Russia. Lot of our chess players have Russian nationality. I would like to have comment regarding this “discrimination” argument under political reasons and that human rights are breached when one cannot play chess under his/her own flag. Is it so, really?
If not allowed to play chess under your own flag is “discrimination”, then what is that this very flag is killing your fellow chess friends, also targeting innocent civil people including children, possibly playing chess? And you want to put this flag on table and say, “let’s play chess”, “this flag is not politics, you are my family”? How can this be human? How can this be sportsmanship? How can this be fair play?
Killing people and executing war crimes is not some “political view”, under which one cannot be put into prison or discriminated on other way, although it happens in Russia rather as a rule. It is not “politics” nowadays anymore. Vice versa, killing peaceful chess players is fundamentally against humanity. How can chess federations support the flag under which it is done? This would be the direct violence of human rights in highest level, breaching all the conventions regarding it, and basic sport principles along, including the ones mentioned in the FIDE Chapter.