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FIDE Vice-President Zurab Azmaiparashvili beaten by security agents and arrested!

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ACP Board [Thu Nov 11th, 03:10]

FIDE Vice-President Zurab Azmaiparashvili beaten and arrested!

During the closing ceremony of the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, FIDE Vice-President Zurab Azmaiparashvili was wrestled to the floor and dragged to jail by a group of security agents. We are publishing 3 official Press Releases by FIDE and the Organising Committee, 2 open letters by WGM Ana Matnadze from Georgia and Ali Nihat YAZICI, the President of Turkish Chess Federation, Turkish Delegate in Calvia, and the ACP Statement.

FIDE Press Release, 30 October 2004

FIDE Vice President held in custody by Spanish Police, after being heavily beaten up

FIDE Vice President and European Chess Champion 2003, Grand Master Zurab Azmaiparashvili is being held in custody by the Spanish police at a federal police station in Palmanova, Mallorca, without charges after a serious incident where he was severely beaten up by security guards towards the end of the Closing Ceremony of the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia on October 30th 2004.

As the Chess Olympiad Closing ceremony came to an end, a special prize bearing the name of a prominent female Georgian chess player and former World Chess Champion, Nona Gaprindashvili was about to be awarded. However, the Master of Ceremony failed to explain the reason behind the award.

FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who is Georgian, tried to notify this to the organisers, who did nothing to correct this incredible mistake. Despite his clear VIP identification, he was severely beaten up by several security guards, according to witnesses. Persons near by, including his wife, Mrs Marina Milorava were then themselves beaten up as they attempted to help him.

FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili was handcuffed and taken away at approximately 20h on the 30th of October 2004. He has been detained by the Spanish police for several hours, without any FIDE official or FIDE legal representative having any information of his health or whereabouts. The Calvia Olympiad organisers refused to intervene in an incident that they could have easily prevented from escalating. The Spanish Chess Federation did not give any assistance either and their President Mr.Javier Ochoa de Echaguen even refused to help FIDE find a Spanish lawyer.

Why a FIDE Official with VIP accreditation should be treated in such an aggressive way is beyond belief and leaves all of the chess family astonished and angry. FIDE is appalled by the aggressive and rude reaction of the security guards and of the apparent lack of concern of the Calvia Olympiad organisers. FIDE therefore demands the immediate release of Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili without charge. He is clearly held without any grounds and FIDE asks for a public apology from the Calvia Olympiad organisers whose mistake has provoked this terrible incident.

Before midnight on the 30th of October 2004, FIDE officials went to Palmanova police station to see Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili. They were offered no assistance whatsoever. The FIDE lawyer was even denied access to Mr Azmaiparashvili. FIDE officials asked for Mr Azmaiparashvili to be examined in a hospital by an independent doctor, which was also denied. At this moment, FIDE regrets to have had no assistance in this very serious matter either from the Calvia Chess Olympiad, or from the Spanish Chess Federation.

Press Contact:

FIDE Deputy President Mr. Georgios Makropoulos +30 6948176162

FIDE Vice President Mr. Morten Sand + 47 90561288



Press release by the 36th Chess Olympiad organisation and the Spanish Chess Federation, 31 October 2004

The Organization Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad and the Spanish Chess Federation, after considering the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE) press statement released yesterday, would like to clarify the following issues:

When the Closing Ceremony of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad was coming to an end, with international, local and regional authorities present on the stage, Mr. Azmaiparashvili tried to gain admittance to the stage on several occasions without authorization. At that moment an agent of the Spanish Police, an elite force that specializes in the security of international events, tried to avoid his admittance to the stage, in accordance with the protocol of the event.

Mr. Azmaiparashvili, without any previous provocation, assaulted the agent with a head butt to his mouth. This aggression caused his arrest, after offering a strong resistance, and subsequent transfer to the Police station, to bring him before the judge.

As the Police Commander explained to the press, the aggression was witnessed by many eyewitnesses. Mr. Azmaiparashvili is at present under arrest, charged with assault and resistance to the authority.

From the first moment of Mr. Azmaiparashvili’s arrest, the whole process is under judicial control, as in any European Union country, Independent medical and legal assistance are guaranteed.

We know that Mr. Azmaiparashvili has apologized to the assaulted policeman, recognizing his faults. The policeman has suffered injuries that have forced him to take sick leave.

Both the organizers and the President of the FEDA, Mr. Javier Ochoa de Echaguen offered the FIDE executives all sorts of facilities, as well as a list of lawyers for Mr. Azmaiparashvili’s defence.

With regard to the prize giving, the protocol at all moment followed the instructions received from FIDE. The Nona Gaprindashvili trophy was given to Russia by the FIDE Honorary President. If there was a protocol error, of which the organization has found no evidence, in no way can it justify the violence exerted by Mr. Aizmaparashvili.

Therefore, the Organising Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad and the Spanish Chess Federation would like to state our indignation with regard to the surprising FIDE press release, and request:

1. The rectification of the lies and distortions, probably caused by the hurry in the emission of the FIDE press release, adjusting it to what really happened.

2. Once the responsibilities have been delimited, disciplinary measures must be adopted with regard to such a serious matter, the centre of attention of which was an executive of the highest body of the FIDE.

Spanish Chess Federation
President
Mr. Javier Ochoa de Echaguen

Organizing Committee of the XXXVI Chess Olympiad
General Director
Mr. Antonio Rami



FIDE Press Release, 1 November 2004

FIDE International Chess Federation Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili freed from custody, after 40h of detention following an aggression by security guards at the Closing Ceremony of the 36th Chess Olympiad.

FIDE Federation Internationale Des Echecs Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili has been released from custody by the Palmanova police in Mallorca at 14h30 local time on November 1st 2004, after having been held for over 40 hours by the Spanish police.

The local judge has accepted this release after a deposit of 500 euros was paid. He also said that there will be a full hearing of the case at a later date.

Vice President GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili maintains his position that this was an unmotivated aggression by the security guards at the Closing Ceremony of the 36th Calvia Chess Olympiad. He was indeed severely beaten and has still now a big black eye. He will be undergoing very soon an independent medical examination to fully assess his health condition.

His arrest took place on the 30th of October 2004 at the Chess Olympiad Closing Ceremony as it was coming to an end. A special prize bearing the name of a prominent female Georgian player and former World Chess Champion, Nona Gaprindashvili was about to be awarded. However, the Master of Ceremony failed to explain the reason behind the award.

FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who is a Georgian, tried to notify this to the organizers, who did nothing to correct this incredible mistake. Despite his clear VIP identification, FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili was severely beaten up by several security guards, according to witnesses. Persons near by, including his wife, Mrs. Marina Milorava, were then themselves beaten up as they attempted to help him.

FIDE is very pleased with this release and regrets this aggression for which the Organisers of the Calvia Olympiad share full responsibility. FIDE still awaits public excuses from both the Calvia Olympiad Organisers and the Spanish Chess Federation, who have both been of no support to FIDE to help the release of FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili.

Press contact

FIDE Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos +30 6948176162

FIDE Vice President Morten Sand +4790561288



Open Letter to FIDE and Georgian Chess Federation, 5 November 2004
by WGM Ana Matnadze

During last two weeks a significant number of world intellectuals was closely paying attention to the World Chess Olympiad, 2004, which took place in Spain. It was a great festivity for both chess players and chess friends, but it was partly ruined by the terrible incident that happened during the closing ceremony involving Mr Zurab Azmaiparashvili. I am not going to judge who was right and who was wrong; this is a privilege of Spanish Law Enforcement Agencies. I just want to say that if FIDE and Georgian Chess Federation had listened to and implemented a slogan of my open letter, which I wrote in June, 2004 with WGM Lela Javakhishvili and addressed it to FIDE and World Chess Society – "FIDE without Azmaiparashvili", this disgusting fact would not have occurred. If FIDE had published our letter on it's web-site, if Mr.Georgios Makropoulos and other FIDE executives had opportunity to express their opinion on Mr. Azmaiparashvili's actions and if FIDE had not limit itself only with an irrelevant response by Stefanova and Kovalevskaya, which provoked only wry smiles all around the world, I believe, that we would not have witnessed the spectacle, involving Mr. Azmaiparashvili, which ruined this beautiful day for all chess players.

I was completely shocked by speeches of some representatives of Georgian Chess Federation made during the press-conference, organized by Georgian Chess Federation, on the 1st of November. We all understand that it is not an honorable action to hit a person, who is already on his/her knees, but how could we interpret words of some GrandMasters saying: "It's true, that Azmaiparashvili often provokes conflicts, but he is a real man and he protested against disrespect towards Georgia". How was disrespect towards Georgia expressed and why this issue becomes a political one? It's a nonsense. Why do they invoke the name of Nona Gaprindashvili to justify this incident? Some speakers at the press-conference did not even attend the closing ceremony and have no idea, how the incident happened. Maybe it would be better if these people, first of all, respected their country and Mrs. Nona Gaprindashvili and attended the ceremony of awarding a cup named after her? Or maybe, it would be better if Mr. Azmaiparashvili protested against statement of Israeli Men Chess team, which accused Georgian Team of intentionally and deliberately giving up their scores in the last round? This is where reputation of Georgia was indeed shaken.

Nobody would accuse Spanish Law Enforcement Agencies for their actions as far as they were following their duty and were protecting chess society both in their country and in the world.

The time has come that everybody, FIDE, Georgian Chess Federation, and Mr. Azmaiparashvili himself, start evaluating events and incidents that he is involved in and, finally, come to a relevant conclusion. Never having once been penalized before for his actions has led Mr Azmaiparashvili to believe that, for him, everything is permitted and this swaggering bravado threatens Azmaiparashvili's reputation, career and possibly even his life…

Concluding, I address FIDE and Georgian Chess Federation again to take into consideration all we have said above, to respect the opinions of all chess players, and to bridle the actions of ambitious and aggressive people.

Open Letter by Ali Nihat YAZICI, the President of Turkish Chess Federation, the Turkish Delegate in Calvia, 8 November 2004

Dear Friends,

What happened in Calvia after the closing ceremony was a clear scandal. This should not be forgotten in the history of chess. First of all, let me inform you more by giving some extra information about the case in Calvia. I am summarising the conversations as much as possible. It is a brief of that very bad night of my life.

I had just left the exit of the Casino in Calvia after the closing ceremony. It was before the fireworks, probably around 7:30 pm. Then I saw GM Baadur Jobava and GM Izoria Zviad from Georgia crying outside. As a good friend I asked them what was the problem. They told me that Zurab Azmaiparashvili had been beaten very badly and arrested by police and had been taken away in handcuffs.

After learning the situation, I returned back to the Casino and went to the main hall and there were some people there, including Kirsan Ilyumzhinov (FIDE President), Javier Ochoa (President of the Spanish Chess Federation), Boris Kutin (President of ECU), Ignatius Leong (Chief arbiter and vice president of FIDE). Naturally Boris and Ignatius were protesting what happened to Zurab. And I joined them and strongly protested what happened to Zurab. I asked Ochoa if he could help Zurab and save him from custody. He answered that he could not do anything.

Then understanding that this was losing time, I went to the pressroom as I was a journalist. I announced there what happened and asked the journalists to react as responsible chess people. I found there Allen Herbert from Barbados as an eye-witness of the situation. Then the coach of the USA women's team and a player of the same. They were all witnesses that Zurab did not hit anyone and did not attack anyone, their testimonies were very clear that Zurab was attacked by Spanish Body Guards in the Casino first.

Then in a few minutes organisers and FIDE people were there. The first release was given by Antonio Rami (Chief Organiser). He had mentioned that Zurab Azmaiparashvili had been creating problems from the start till the end of the Olympiad. He also had mentioned that after Zurab's first and the second attempt to approach the stage to correct the name of Trophy, they alerted the police at the closing ceremony to be careful with him. According to Rami, then Zurab tried a third time and attacked one policeman and they defended themselves and arrested him. After he had finished the Chief police officer gave a statement and said the same.

And then FIDE Deputy President Makropoulos answered this statement and criticized the organiser for not doing anything. After all these statements, I understood that the organisers would not move their fingers to save Zurab. I also felt that Zurab was having a very bad time in the place they had taken him. I called and yelled at the people in the pressroom to find a lawyer as soon as possible. I asked to Mr. Antonio Rami, in front of everyone, to help the situation. He did not give a positive answer. Then I went to Ochoa.

The conversation between Ochoa and me was as follows: 'Javier, you are a chess person. I do not believe that Zurab is guilty. But even he is guilty, as organiser and chess person you have to help him. Since he is a chess person, because we are friends, you have to do something for him. Please call your sports minister. If this happened in my country (it would never happen) I would get the person released in a few minutes maximum. Since I am a chess person and it is a sport.' I asked Ochoa again 'I pray to you, please try to help!'

He answered me saying 'I can not do anything, Ali'. I asked him again 'Ochoa, then maybe you may find some lawyer for us who we can trust. He/she can help the situation. FIDE can take care of the cost. Please help find one.' He answered that 'I do not know any lawyers, but you may find one in the yellow pages'. I asked him again 'so find it your yellow pages because they are in Spanish and I can not read it.' Then he asked the ladies of the pressroom for a phone book. Their answer was that they did not have one. Then after some minutes, Ochoa came to me and gave me a phone book with yellow pages. It was all in Spanish. I told him again that I cannot read or understand it.

Then I went to Rami and I had a one-to-one conversation with him alone. 'Antoni, listen to me, you finished an Olympiad, your aim was to promote Calviа and Mallorca. You spent millions of Euros you say for this aim. Now it failed. But still you have chance to turn the situation into something positive. Why do you not help Zurab? Call the Mayor, call local authorities, call someone from the Security Ministery. Try to avoid this scandal. Your personal feelings against Zurab are not important, as organiser you have to help! Otherwise, believe me nobody will come again to Mallorca as chess people or tourists'.

He answered me as follows: 'Ali, I do not want to help him. I wish that he is already out of this island as soon as possible. But I cannot help him.'

Why I am telling all these things is very simple. After I left the island the next morning Spanish people claimed to FIDE that they gave me a list of lawyers to help. This is not true.

1. This is a very clear humiliation and unfair to our exclusive sport. Chess is an intellectual sport over all the world. It would also be a scandal if it happened in football, in wrestling or in any sport. But it happened to us. Therefore, we have to react! We cannot accept this. We cannot tolerate this. We cannot understand this. Zurab is one of my best friends for years; I know his hot blood and honesty. He cannot keep his feelings inside. I would do exactly the same if I were in his position. He tried to defend the name of the Gaprindashvili Trophy, which is not only important for Georgia, but also very important for the chess world. Let me tell you that Zurab is a tall, big, strong guy but he cannot insult any person. In his body he has a real gentlemanly spirit and a very big heart.

2. Also we should not forget the official press release made by Chief Organiser Antonio Rami in the pressroom at around 21:00. Mr. Rami has mentioned that after the first and the second attempt of Zurab to warn the speaker about the name of the Trophy, 'they alerted the Police on stage' or 'the Police had been alarmed!'. I am sure ChessBase correspondent Frederic Friedel was recording this statement and has video material. Therefore, it is very clear that the police were consciously paying attention to Zurab. It means that Zurab was under the attention of the police and when he tried to attempt to correct this mistake and communicate with the FIDE President, he was taken down.

3. We should not forget that Zurab's position was VIP there. But even if this happened to an amateur or any normal guest, it would be a humiliation for the image of chess. If today an organiser may not provide enough security to a VIP, if they cannot even prevent their security from harming the person, we have to seriously think about this.

4. We have to ask ourselves about the image of chess, after this case, as public opinion, over all the world. We have to take action, everyone should react! Also FIDE has to do something officially, a lot more than asking for public excuses to protect the image of chess. This kind of humiliation to chess and to chess people should never be practised again in the future. We do not desire this! Zurab does not desire this!

5. I hope that Zurab will be okay after what happened. Not only FIDE but all international chess bodies should take some action against this scandal.

The ACP Statement of the 11th of November 2004

Regarding the recent Azmaiparashvili incident in Calvia, the ACP Board understands that the exact chain of events that led to Mr Azmaiparashvili being severely beaten up and incarcerated by the Spanish police has yet to be established by the court. Nevertheless, the ACP Board would like to state at this point that the repression from the Spanish authorities upon Mr Azmaiparashvili appears completely disproportionate to whatever trouble he was causing during the closing ceremony. The Spanish police simply went too far. We wish Mr Azmaiparashvili a prompt recovery.

The ACP Board