The meeting between the representatives of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra led by the Governor Natalia Komarova and the FIDE delegation led by the President Arkady Dvorkovich

November 02, 2018

MEETING MINUTES

I. Introduction

The meeting between the representatives of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra and the FIDE delegation was convened at 6:30 p.m. on November 02, 2018 at the CTC Ugra Classic Building in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

The purpose of this meeting was for the FIDE delegation to hear statements from and to ask questions of the regional authorities on chess activities in general and the 2018 FIDE Women’s World Championship / preparations for the 2020 World Chess Olympiad in particular.

II. Meeting Participants

The following is a list of participants in the November 02, 2018 meeting.

A. Representatives of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra:

B. The FIDE Delegation:

C. Mass media:

III. Opening Remarks

Ugra Governor Natalia Komarova affirmed that Khanty-Mansiysk is ready for the 2018 FIDE Womens’ World Championship. The players and the officials are enjoying the venue, the accommodations, and the hospitality of the Ugra people. All museums in the city admit visitors with a FIDE championship accreditation free of charge. On the rest day, November 18, the participants will have a chance to attend a professional hockey game and to make a symbolic faceoff.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich stated how glad he was to visit Khanty- Mansisyk for yet another important FIDE Calendar event. Over the years, the city hosted all types of large FIDE World events; they were always successful; everyone was happy. The next two years will be challenging since Khanty-Mansiysk will have to organize even more complex events. I am confident that the regional authorities and the organizers will excel yet again and everything about these events will be top-notch. Ugra is the leader in grassroots chess activities, in bringing our game to the most remote corners. Chess is actively promoted, new clubs are being opened, the Chess Academy trains the coaches and school educators. FIDE will continue this excellent partnership with Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, it will grow and prosper in the coming years. We will meet again very soon at the closing ceremony of the Women’s World Championship.


IV. Testimony of Invited Officials

Vice Governor Yuri Yuzhakov reported on the preparations for the 2020 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk.

We made an excellent choice for a playing venue. Everything will take place in the Exhibition Center. An extension and renovation program is under way already. A spacious second building will be added.

All financial obligations from organizers to FIDE are met. Financing is secured for all infrastructure work needed for the Olympiad. New apartment buildings are constructed near the Olympiyskaya Hotel. They will serve as an Olympic Village during the event. After the Olympiad, these apartments will make part of a municipal reserve and will further improve the housing situation in the region.

Logistics and transportation issues are solved successfully. Participants of the Olympiad will travel by shuttle buses, the trips will only take 5-10 minutes.

The government of the Russian Federation has appointed the Deputy Primer Minister Olga Golodets to monitor and supervise the preparations for the 2020 World Chess Olympiad on the part of the federal authorities.

President Arkady Dvorkovich noted that preparations for the Olympiad are going well. FIDE is in constant partnership and dialogue with local authorities. We are always ready to discuss and resolve any operational issues that need our input.

Ugra Chess Academy Director Galina Kovaleva provided an overview of organized chess activities in the region. Since 2005, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug hosted fifteen (15) top-level world events. The famous Poikovsky tournament is on its twenty-first (21st) annual edition already. Forty (40) chess tournaments were already held in 2018, and the total number planned through the end of the calendar year is seventy (70).

Chess has become a part of the curricula in Ugra’s schools and preschools. 140,000 children took chess lessons in the elementary schools in 2018, which is a 30,000 increase compared to 2017. 36,000 children had chess lessons in preschools. The program that train school educators to teach chess is in place. 1,270 teachers successfully completed such a course in 2016-2018; 150 more teachers will pass this course till the end of 2018.

Master classes and seminars are being held in remote rural locations. During the same period, 2016-2018, there were more than fifty (50) seminars that trained over three hundred (300) teachers. Several Ugra juniors qualified for all-expense-paid training in the federally funded Sirius Chess Center in Sochi.

Ugra natives and residents GM Dmitry Jakovenko and WGM Olga Girya are members of Russia’s national men’s and women’s chess teams. IM Andrei Obodchuk is a member of Russia’s Paralympics team. More than thirty (30) non-seeing players from all over Ugra take part in chess tournaments on a regular basis. Ugra also leads all Russian regions in remote chess education and Internet-based tournaments.


V. Open Discussion and Decisions Taken

• The Ugra authorities, UgraMegaSport and the FIDE agreed to set the following dates for the 2019 FIDE World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk: September 09 – October 02, 2019.

• The FIDE President supported Governor Komarova’s proposal to appoint Berik Balgabaev the supervisor of all preparation for the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 World Chess Olympiad on the part of FIDE.


VI. Closing Remarks

Governor Komarova thanked everyone for attending the meeting and encouraged the members of the FIDE delegation to visit Ugra more frequently and to see with their own eyes how its infrastructure grows and matures. President Dvorkovich thanked the Ugra representatives for their hospitality and remarked that the warmth of their hearts makes Khanty-Mansiysk one of the most enjoyable places in the world for chess players.


VII. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.