Anatoly Karpov wants to be FIDE President

The former world champion Anatoly Karpov announced on Saturday that he was running for president of the World Chess Federation.

Karpov is trying to unseat Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has been president of the federation (known as FIDE, its initials in French), since 1995. Ilyumzhinov is also the president of Kalmykia, a small Russian republic on the Caspian Sea.

Karpov would not be the first ex-champion to serve as FIDE’s president. Max Euwe, the fifth world champion (1935-37), led the federation from 1970-78, a period of exceptional turmoil and interest in the game.

The New York Times is asking Can Karpov Be President of Chess Federation?


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