STOP!
.
Så gik den ikke længere! Det eneste lyspunkt i en ellers coronanedlagt verden, Kandidatturneringen i Yekatarinenburg, er blevet sat på pause på ubestemt tid. Ikke aflyst, men blot sat på “hold”.
På FIDEs hjemmeside står:
“Today, the government of the Russian Federation announced that starting March 27, 2020, Russia interrupts air traffic with other countries without indicating any time frames.
FIDE can not continue the tournament without guarantees for the players’ and officials’ safe and timely return home. In this situation and on the basis of clause 1.5. Rules of Candidates Tournament, the FIDE President decided to stop the tournament. It will be continued later, with the exact dates to be announced as soon, as the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow. As it was stipulated by the special rules agreed with the players before the start of the event, the results of the 7 rounds played remain valid, and the tournament will be resumed in the same composition starting with the games of the 8th round. FIDE is grateful to the players, officials, volunteers and the entire team of organizers, including the Chess Federation of Russia and the main partner of the tournament – SIMA-Land.
Sincerely,
Arkady Dvorkovich,
FIDE President“
Det virker lidt som om, det mere er de russiske transportforhold , der er problemet, end coronarisikoen på stedet.
Bemærk også: “It will be continued later, with the exact dates to be announced as soon, as the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow“. Turneringen er altså ikke officielt stoppet – fortsættelsen er bare udsat på ubestemt tid. Men da skak-OL i Khanty-M lige er blevet skubbet et helt år, kan man gætte på, at hele cirkusset også skubbes et helt år.
Who knows?
Men det er slut med underholdningen for denne gang.
Tjek FIDE her.
