In a clarion call, one of the greatest royalties of chess, Viswanathan Anand said, “Time is now ripe for chess to get a nod in the Olympics”. In an exclusive interview with NewsX , Anand further revealed “I am most gratified by the opening ceremony of the 44th Chess Olympiad with some even comparing it to CWG 2022 opening ceremony which took place on the same day.”
“The time is ripe for Chess to be included in the Olympics. It has been long overdue now and definitely the sport should gain an entry into the Olympics,” the Grandmaster from Chennai added.
India’s first Commonwealth Chess Championships Winner Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay endorsed Anand’s view about Chess’ inclusion into Olympics, “It is the right time and India can lead the way especially after displaying such amazing organizing capabilities at the Chess Olympiad.”
“In 1994 Moscow Chess Olympiad, GM Gary Kasparov exhibited Chess to the then IOA President Juan Antonio Samaranch and requested if Chess could be included in Olympics, to which he replied ‘Not in my lifetime’.
This kind of response shows the attitude towards chess as a whole and even though we are in 2022, nothing has changed,” Tipsay added.
Someone needs to do Chess’ bidding and I would like India to take the lead to get chess included in the Olympics especially after PM Modi has endorsed the sport himself now and has been very supportive of the Chess Olympiad in Chennai,” Tipsay.
Chess was played as an exhibition game in Sydney Olympics 2000 and later in Doha Asian Games 2006 was a medal sport. “It was a mixed team event, with two men and a woman in the team,” Tipsay said.
India is currently hosting its biggest Chess tournament ever and this is the first time ever that India is hosting Chess Olympiad. With a record 187 countries taking part with 188 Teams in Open section and 162 in the Women’s section, the Olympiad will witness highest ever participation.