FIDE Vice-President believes that Ilyumzhinov is a fair winner

Georgeos Makropoulos, Vice-President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has stated, in response to accusations put forward by Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov that the today's election of FIDE President were unfair, that it was an attempt to blacken the name of the President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today the city of Khanty-Mansiysk hosted the election of the FIDE President. 96 out of 160 delegates of the Congress of the FIDE General Assembly have voted for Kirsan Ilyumzhinov - the incumbent FIDE President. In order to defeat him, any of the other contenders, former world chess champion Anatoly Karpov among them, had to win the support of at least 82 national federations-members of the FIDE.

According to Mr Makropoulos, for the last six months already Kasparov and Karpov have been playing a dirty game, trying to tarnish Ilyumzhinov. They understand quite well that Kirsan's position and programme are stronger and that they will never win this election. Therefore, they are trying to blow up a scandal out of nothing," the "Sovietskiy Sport" writes.

In his turn, Garry Kasparov, the 13th World Chess Champion, said that the election "was a mere lawlessness." "Ilyumzhinov works as a battering ram. Delegates are intimidated, and almost all of them dance to Ilyumzhinov's tune. We're trying to do everything possible, but, apparently, it's useless," he said.

Earlier similar accusations against Ilyumzhinov were moved by Anatoly Karpov, another former World Chess Champion.

Meanwhile, immediately after the announcement of the voting results, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov offered Anatoly Karpov to take the post of Vice-President of the FIDE. The "Championat.ru" writes that Mr Karpov took time to think it over.