- News>
- Olympics
Anand spearheading move for inclusion of chess in Olympics
Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand is spearheading a campaign to get chess into the Olympic Games and if his efforts bear fruit, the game will be a part of the 2008 Olympics.
Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand is spearheading a campaign to get chess into the Olympic Games and if his efforts bear fruit, the game will be a part of the 2008 Olympics.
Chess has been an exhibition game at Sydney and is expected to be made a demonstration sport at Athens four years hence.
“After that, hopefully it will be a full-fledged sport on the Olympic Games schebule,” the current World Number Two told select Indian reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
The Indian wizard is known to be close to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) taking advantage of that fact, deputed Anand to canvas its case.
Samaranch is favourably disposed. “It is now for FIDE to convince IOC that we deserve to be in,” he said.
The first stop was achieved with IOC's recognition of chess as a sport last year.
As part on the campaign, Anand has played two exhibition matches of rapid chess with Alexei Shirov of Spain.
He said while chess world championships have their own importance, the Olympic Games had their own aura and importance. Bureau Report
“After that, hopefully it will be a full-fledged sport on the Olympic Games schebule,” the current World Number Two told select Indian reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
The Indian wizard is known to be close to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) taking advantage of that fact, deputed Anand to canvas its case.
Samaranch is favourably disposed. “It is now for FIDE to convince IOC that we deserve to be in,” he said.
The first stop was achieved with IOC's recognition of chess as a sport last year.
As part on the campaign, Anand has played two exhibition matches of rapid chess with Alexei Shirov of Spain.
He said while chess world championships have their own importance, the Olympic Games had their own aura and importance. Bureau Report