VISWANATHAN Anand is expected to be Timur Turlov's running mate for the upcoming FIDE elections. The five-time world champion, who assumed responsibilities as interim chief of the world chess body following European Union sanctions on Arkady Dvorkovich on Thursday, has had a change of heart from his original intention of not wanting to be on the ticket.
While Anand himself hasn't publicly said anything about why he has likely had a change of heart, on Facebook, Turlov confirmed that he would be running with the Indian. "The progress we have made cannot be stopped or erased," the Kazakh billionaire posted. "I believe it must be intensified, given fresh energy and carried forward… I’m going to the upcoming elections with Viswanathan Anand, a great champion and legend of world chess. It is an honour for me to share with him the common vision of the future of world chess.” Now all eyes will be on the updated nomination forms as the last date is on Sunday.
When the Indian chess ace was asked about it at the recently held Chennai Grand Masters event, he had said that he 'wanted to have more time at home. “I simply wanted to have more time at home," the 56-year-old had told reporters. "My son will probably go to university in three years, I thought these are the years I should be here. That was a big motivation to get a different role. But I am still very much part of the team.” From an Indian viewpoint, the next two months when Anand will be at the held is crucial because it's when the venue for the World Championship match between Javokhir Sindarov and D Gukesh will be decided.
Unlike in 2022, when Anand had become deputy head in the administration led by Dovrkovich, the upcoming polls is thought to be much tighter because of the crowded field. Apart from Turlov, there's Jan Buettner, Wadim Rosenstein and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
