Request of Philippines to include chess to the 2014 Russia Winter Olympic Games

During a working visit of the FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to Philippines, Head of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) Mr. Jose Cojuangco, Jr. signed an appeal to the Head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mr. Jacques Rogge and IOC members with a request to include chess to the programme of the Olympic Games. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov noted: "We are proceeding to carry on a goal-seeking work by including chess to the programme of the Olympic games. And after a longlasting consultations with IOC and its Head Mr. Jacques Rogge it became clear that we have good chances but we need to be actively supported by the national federations and olympic committees. We set ourselves an ultimate priority to collect letters with a request of such sort from NOCs of all 170 FIDE members countries. It is obvious that these letters are not appeared for no special reason: it is a result of great efforts made by me during my working visits. I would like to express my gratitude to the President of Philippines Chess federation Mr. Prospero Pichay and to the President of the Philippines NOC Mr. Jose Cojuangco, Jr. who were the first to respond on our request.

FIDE President hopes that this event will provoke "a chain reaction" in the other countries as well. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov asserts that everybody shall be interested in it, i.e. representatives of the federations, chess players, trainers, organizers and millions of chess fans all over the world.

Let us remind you that during the elections in Khanty Mansiysk Kirsan Ilyumzhinov stated three main points of his activity as a FIDE President: development of the programme "Chess in schools", training of trainers and arbiters and work on chess inclusion to the programme of the Olympiad. He noted: "We have already achieved a great success in two issues. It is of no doubt that consolidated efforts of FIDE, national chess federations and olympic committees will bring a maximum effect in work with IOC.
"Chess is a legitimate sport played internationally. It's inclusion in th Olympics is long overdue," said Cojuangco.
"It will also give us the opportunity to compete in the Winter Games again."