According to Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), since Hungary has counted as a chess superpower for a hundred years, it has a good chance of successfully bidding to host the 2024 Chess Olympics.

The new Russian President of the Federation, who was elected last year, declared this at a reception in the Parliament Building in Budapest following a session of the international organisation’s council. Mr. Dvorkovich said he had been highly impressed by Budapest, and also spoke with praise about the chess classes introduced in Hungarian schools. At the reception, the Hungarian member of the International Olympic Committee Pál Schmitt emphasised that Hungary has always had excellent chess players, who receive similar acknowledgement from the state as medal-winning sportspeople at the summer and winter Olympics.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s State Secretary for Information and the International Representation of Hungary Tamás Menczer highlighted the fact that the Hungarians are famously good organisers, with major experience in hosting large international sporting events, in addition to which the country has a sports-friendly government that is supporting the efforts of the Hungarian Chess Federation.

Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár spoke about the fact that when she was presented with an acknowledgement in Parliament for winning her first Olympic championship title at the age of 12, she never thought she would eventually have the opportunity to meet the leaders of the chess world in the same place. President of the Hungarian Chess Federation László Szabó drew attention to the fact that the composer of the Hungarian national anthem, Ferenc Erkel, and the “greatest Hungarian”, István Széchenyi, were both excellent chess players. He added that the leadership of the Hungarian Chess Federation wants to help Hungarian chess regain its place at the top of the chess world. “We are ready to host even such a major event as the 2024 Chess Olympics”, the President stated. The International Chess Federation will be deciding on the location for the 2024 Chess Olympics at its congress in Khanty-Mansiysk next August.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)