Then the countdown of 100 days to the World Chess Olympiad was launched

A press conference dedicated to the start of the countdown of 100 days to the 42nd World Chess Olympiad due to be held in Baku on 1-14 September 2016 was held at the Baku Crystal Hall on 24 May.

A ceremony to start the countdown of 100 days to the World Chess Olympiad has been held in Baku. The event was attended by Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Elman Rustamov and Chairman of the World Chess Olympiad Operating Committee Mahir Mammedov.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Azad Rahimov said sport was one of priority directions of public policy in Azerbaijan. He spoke about the contribution of national leader Heydar Aliyev to the development of sport and noted that the incumbent leadership of the country was committed to the great leader’s policies. He said the competition would bring together teams from more than 170 countries, which would enhance the competitive spirit of the Olympiad. The minister said this was an excellent opportunity for the country to assert itself in the world again, and added that the event would attract a large number of tourists from across the globe.

According to the minister, Azerbaijan has extensive experience in hosting major international events, including sports competitions. From this perspective, a lot has been done to address organizational matters.

Addressing the ceremony, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said the Chess Olympiad would go down in history as a major event in terms of its quality and proportions. The FIDE president noted that a state program on the development of chess had been adopted in Azerbaijan in 2008, and the country had hosted numerous tournaments and opened specialized chess schools ever since. All of this is evidence of the attention the government has been paying to the development of sports, including the promotion of chess. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov praised the progress of preparations for the Chess Olympiad and said there were no problems impeding preparations for the event.

Chairman of the Chess Olympiad Operating Committee Mahir Mammedov said transportation, visa and security issues were being addressed and pledged a high level of their organization. Mahir Mammedov said the official opening ceremony of the prestigious event would be held at the National Gymnastic Arena.

Then, the official mascot of the Chess Olympiad, Musa Nagiyev’s “Chess Mate”, was disclosed. According to its author, the mascot embodies a generalized image of a young Azerbaijani chess player. Chairman of the Chess Olympiad Operating Committee Mahir Mammedov presented the winner with a certificate and a bonus of 1,000 manats. 

Then the countdown of 100 days to the World Chess Olympiad was launched. 

The press service of the Baku Chess Olympiad Operating Committee