VAHESAAR, Lembit (2. II 1936 – 25. IV 2013)

Lembit Vahesaar was awarded the International Arbiter title in 1969. He was arbiter at four World Championship title matches (Chiburdanidze—Alexandria 1981, Karpov—Kasparov 1985-87); two World Cup tournaments (1989); five Chess Olympiads (Valetta 1980, Manila 1992, Moscow 1994, Yerevan 1996, Elista 1998); eleven Tallinn international tournaments (1969-1989) and in numerous other major competitions. In total, Vahesaar was arbiter at more than 700 competitions.

Vahesaar was a member of the Estonian Olympics Committee (1992—2000), member of the EOC's Assembly of Representatives (2001-2005), honour member of the EOC since 2007 and member of the Estonian Olympic Academy since 2000. Lembit was also the president of FIDE Baltic Zone (1992 and 1998-2000) and Estonia's permanent delegate to FIDE (1991-2002) and ICCF (since 1992). From 1966-1980 and 1983-2004 he was the chairman of the assembly of Estonian Arbiters. Vahesaar was a member of the FIDE Rules and Tournament Regulations Commission (1994-1998) and FIDE Executive Committee and Qualifications Commission (1998-2000). He was the President of the Estonian Chess Federation (1990-1992) and Vice President of the ECF from 1992-2000. Vahesaar translated the FIDE Laws of Chess into Estonian six times (1971, 1979, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009) .
Lembit Vahesaar was named as the best Chess Arbiter in Estonia in the 20th century, he received two Bertl von Massow Awards – Silver Medal in 2002 and Gold Medal in 2007. In 2012 he was one of the four Arbiters who received the first FIDE Arbiter's Award.