Hungarian officials at venue to learn about hosting Olympiad

CHENNAI: India had as little as four months to prepare for the ongoing 44th Chess Olympiad in Mahabalipuram. It was only in the eleventh hour - in March - the FIDE (International Chess Federation) declared that the AICF (All India Chess Federation) would play host to the event.

Meanwhile, Hungary, the host of the next edition in 2024, will have three-and-a-half years to make arrangements at leisure (its bid was approved by the FIDE in December 2020). Time is on Hungarian Chess Federation's side, but it is leaving no stone unturned. Officials from the country's national chess association are on a visit to Mahabalipuram for what they refer to as an “observer programme”.

“We will organise the next Olympiad in Budapest. We are here (Mahabalipuram) to see how to organise an Olympiad. So far, we have learned both good and bad things,” said Hungarian Chess Federation secretary general Robert Kapas on Friday.

“Altogether, it (the Chennai Olympiad) is beautiful. It is good that the whole of Chennai and its neighbourhood are part of the Olympiad. The last man in the street knows that the Olympiad is happening. We are happy to see the enthusiasm for chess,” added Kapas.

The Hungarian officials are “learning” the A to Z of hosting an Olympiad, especially by observing what is around them.

“We arrived here on Thursday. We have seen everything, preparation for most part. The accreditation process...the placement of tents.. the venue and the hotels.. transfers (movement) from and to the hotels.. organising buses and cars.. Well, the online process like registration.. safety and cloak rooms... we are in the middle of the [entire] process... we are also talking to the FIDE about the medical stuff and doping tests.. how they take care of safety...and how they do the pairings for the Olympiad,” Kapas explained.

The Hungarian Chess Federation officials are yet to pick the brains of the AICF office-bearers, who have stunned one and all by hosting the Olympiad at short notice.

“We had a few moments with them. They are busy now. We will talk more in the coming days,” said Kapas.