MAMMADYAROV: “FEDERATION OFFICIALS ARE TO BLAME FOR AZERBAIJANI CHESS TEAM’S FAILURE IN THE OLYMPIAD”

Today, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006

“If the Azerbaijan’s Chess Federation had been interested in our
national team’s success in the Olympiad, it would have sent an
optimal staff to Turin. However, focusing on their own interests,
the Federation officials did not do it and led our team to failure. I
regret for that,” said Shahriyar Mammadyarov, one of the two top
chess-players of Azerbaijan.

The Grand Master, double champion among youths was not involved to
the 37th chess Olympiad. He blamed the Chess Federation authorities
for the failure of Azerbaijani chess teams of men and women in Turin,
Italy. According to him, the Federation officials could have sent
stronger staff to the Olympiad even two days before the Olympiad
started.

“It was a complete fiasco for our teams if compared with last year.

Our women chess players, who won Armenian team for the first time in
the history of Olympiad, were not involved to the team this time. As
coming to our men chess players, if I were in the team, it would
have come fourth in the Olympiad. I was expected to be invited to the
team event to the last day. But it did not happen because of personal
hostility with me. I wanted to worthily represent Azerbaijan in the
Olympiad,” the chess player told APA exclusively.

Mammdyarov was satisfied with our Grand Master Teymour Radjabov’s
performance. “I congratulated Teymour on his victory. Vugar Hashimov
also played well. Rauf Mammadov and Gadir Huseynov could have scored
more points. Namig Guliyev is a good chess player but I think he was
anxious this time,” Mammadyarov said.

URL: