Editing FIDE (section)

===1993 to 2018===

====World Championship divided, 1993–2006====
{{Unbalanced|section|date=November 2020}}

In 1992, [[Nigel Short]] emerged as the official challenger for Kasparov's world title after winning the [[Candidates Tournament]]. FIDE promptly accepted a bid from Manchester, England, to host the 1993 title match, but without consulting Short, as its rules required; Short was traveling to Greece at the time. Upon learning of this, Short reached out to Kasparov, who had harbored distrust for FIDE and its president, [[Florencio Campomanes]], since the abrupt end of his 1984 title match against Anatoly Karpov. Kasparov and Short concluded that FIDE had not secured the best financial deal for them and announced their decision to play under a new organization, the [[Professional Chess Association]] (PCA). In response, FIDE stripped Kasparov of his title, removed both Kasparov and Short from the official rating list, and announced a title match between Karpov and [[Jan Timman]], whom Short had defeated in the Candidates Tournament. Both Kasparov and Karpov won their respective matches, both claiming the title of world champion.<ref name="aboutchessSchism1993to1996">{{cite web | url= http://chess.about.com/od/worldchampionship/p/aa06d08.htm | title= The Schism: Two World Chess Champions (1993–1996) | last= Weeks | first= M | publisher= About.com | access-date= January 9, 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060412133658/http://chess.about.com/od/worldchampionship/p/aa06d08.htm | archive-date= April 12, 2006 | url-status= dead | df= mdy-all }}</ref>

By 1994, Kasparov realized that separating from FIDE had been a mistake, as the split in the world championship was unpopular among commercial sponsors and most grandmasters.<ref name = "chessbase2005KasparovInterviewPart2">{{cite web | url= http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2326 | title=The Garry Kasparov Interview, Part 2 | author-link = Mig Greengard | last = Greengard | first = Mig | date=April 14, 2005 | publisher = Chess base}}</ref> He began efforts to mend relations with FIDE and supported Campomanes's re-election bid as FIDE president. However, many FIDE delegates viewed Campomanes as corrupt, and he agreed to resign in 1995, provided his successor was [[Kirsan Ilyumzhinov]], the president of the [[Republic of Kalmykia]].<ref name="aboutChessUnification 1994to2006">{{cite web | publisher = About.com | url = http://chess.about.com/od/worldchampionship/p/aa06i09.htm | title = The Saga of Chess Unification (1994–2006) | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071211202255/http://chess.about.com/od/worldchampionship/p/aa06i09.htm | archive-date = December 11, 2007 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

Several attempts to reunify the world championship in the following years failed for various reasons, including financial constraints and Kasparov's opposition to any plan requiring him to play in a qualifying series. In 2000, [[Vladimir Kramnik]] defeated Kasparov in a match for the now-renamed Braingames World Chess Championship, as the PCA had dissolved by then. Kramnik, like Kasparov, was unwilling to play in a qualifying series and strongly objected to FIDE's attempt to decide the world championship through annual knockout tournaments and to shorten game time limits.<ref name = "aboutChessUnification 1994to2006" /><ref name="kramnik2005CivilizedDialogue">{{cite web | url = http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=35 | title = Vladimir Kramnik: "I am ready for a civilized dialogue with FIDE" | last = Vasiliev | first = Y | publisher = [[Vladimir Kramnik]] | date = November 14, 2004 | access-date = January 9, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071015125720/http://kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=35 | archive-date = October 15, 2007 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

In 2006, a reunification match was held between Kramnik and [[Veselin Topalov]], which Kramnik won amidst a controversy that resulted in one game being awarded to Topalov.<ref name = "aboutChessUnification 1994to2006" /><ref name = "chessgames2006Toiletgate">{{cite web | url = http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=52037 | title=Kramnik vs Topalov, 2006 – Toiletgate in Elista | publisher= Chess games}}</ref> However, the split in the world title had lingering effects, as evidenced by FIDE's complex regulations for the 2007-2009 world championship cycle. FIDE decided to grant Topalov a "fast track" entry into the 2007-2009 cycle due to his inability to compete in the [[World Chess Championship 2007|2007 World Chess Championship Tournament]]. Additionally, FIDE decided that if Kramnik did not win the 2007 championship tournament, he would play a championship match in 2008 against the winner. This provision came into effect when [[Viswanathan Anand]] won the tournament and became the world champion.

====IOC recognition====
In 1999, FIDE was recognised by the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC). Two years later, it introduced the IOC's anti-drugs rules to chess, as part of its campaign for chess to become part of the [[Olympic Games]].<ref name="Hindu2001IOCMedicalCode">{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/08/07/stories/07070206.htm
 |title        = FIDE to adopt IOC Medical Code
 |date         = August 7, 2001
 |work         = The Hindu
 |access-date  = November 30, 2018
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110711170831/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/08/07/stories/07070206.htm
 |archive-date = July 11, 2011
 |url-status     = usurped
 |df           = mdy-all
}}</ref>
<!-- The greatest controversy came in 1993, when reigning champion Kasparov and challenger [[Nigel Short]] (who had qualified through the FIDE system) broke away from FIDE to play their 1993 match under the auspices of the newly formed [[Professional Chess Association]] (PCA). This caused a 13-year split in the world title. During the split, FIDE for a time (1998–2004) ran its championships as a single knock-out tournament with games under quicker time controls, a change which proved controversial. Another controversy was holding the [[FIDE World Chess Championship 2004|2004 Tournament]] in Libya. From 2002 to 2005 FIDE failed to organize matches for the 2002 "Prague Agreement" to re-unite the world title, until the world title was finally re-unified by the [[FIDE World Chess Championship 2006|2006 Kramnik–Topalov match]].

As of 2007, the format of the World Championship looks set to change again, and has again been the subject of criticism from the [[Association of Chess Professionals]] (ACP) as well as individual players.

In 1999, FIDE was recognised by the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC). Two years later, it introduced the IOC's anti-drugs rules to chess. FIDE has stated that it would like chess to become part of the [[Olympic Games]].  Cognitive enhancement is now a real concern in chess competitions.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hamblin|first1=James|title=On Cognitive Doping in Chess (and Life)|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/03/cognitive-enhancement-paradox/519948/|access-date=21 March 2017|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=21 March 2017}}</ref>

On June 2, 2006 [[delegate]]s from more than 150 national chess federations cast their ballots in [[Turin]], Italy, to elect the president of FIDE. The result was a clear victory for the incumbent president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who collected 96 votes, compared to 54 for his challenger [[Bessel Kok]].
-->

====Commercial agreement with Agon and World Chess==== <!-- [[World Chess]] redirects here -->

In 2012 FIDE entered into a commercial agreement, initially planned to last until 2021, with the company Agon Limited. This company was given rights to organize and commercially exploit the [[World Chess Championship]] and the associated events in the World Championship cycle.<ref name="fide-contract">{{cite web| url = https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Annex_11_-_Agreement_between_FIDE_and_Agon.pdf| title = FIDE–Agon Agreement, Annex 11, FIDE General Assembly 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160420203603/https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Annex_11_-_Agreement_between_FIDE_and_Agon.pdf| archive-date = April 20, 2016 | url-status = live}}</ref> The first tournament it organized was the London [[FIDE Grand Prix 2012–13|FIDE Grand Prix]] event in September 2012,<ref name="interview">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/an-interview-with-ilya-merenzon-organizer-of-anand-carlsen-4530|title=An Interview With Ilya Merenzon, Organizer of Carlsen-Anand|first=Peter|last=Doggers (PeterDoggers)|website=Chess.com|date=December 2014 }}</ref> followed by the London [[Candidates Tournament]] in March 2013,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chennai2013.fide.com/anand-carlsen-chennai-2013/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926064532/http://chennai2013.fide.com/anand-carlsen-chennai-2013/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2013|title=» Anand – Carlsen, Chennai 2013|website=chennai2013.fide.com}}</ref> and the Chennai [[World Chess Championship]] in November 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7045-world-championship-match-press-release.html|title=International Chess Federation – FIDE|website=www.fide.com|access-date=January 10, 2020|archive-date=September 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906234741/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7045-world-championship-match-press-release.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Agon subsequently organized the four events in the [[FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/FIDE_GP_Regulations_2014_2015.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912013630/http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/FIDE_GP_Regulations_2014_2015.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-12 |url-status=live|title=FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15 Regulations}}</ref> the [[Candidates Tournament]] in 2014,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/regscandidates2014.pdf |title = 2014 Candidates Regulations, Section 4.8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023222840/http://www.fide.com/FIDE/handbook/regscandidates2014.pdf |archive-date=23 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[World Chess Championship]] in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/organizers |title=Sochi 2014 Organizers |access-date=November 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208232107/http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/organizers |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Agon had been founded in 2012 in [[Jersey]] by [[Andrew Paulson]] as the sole shareholder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/2012/2014/Agoncorporaterecords.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801105647/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/2012/2014/Agoncorporaterecords.pdf |archive-date=2014-08-01 |url-status=live|title=Agon Corporate Records}}</ref> On February 20, 2012, an agreement between Agon and FIDE was made, subject to approval by the 2012 FIDE General Assembly.<ref name="fide-contract"/> This approval was forthcoming in September 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Minutes_of_FIDE_General_Assembly_2012.pdf|title=Minutes of 2012 FIDE General Assembly, Section 4.3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623130645/https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Minutes_of_FIDE_General_Assembly_2012.pdf|archive-date=June 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2014, Agon was sold to its current CEO [[Ilya Merenzon]] for the sum of one pound.<ref name="interview" /> At the September 2016 FIDE General Assembly, it was resolved that Agon should institute a corporate presence in a locale with more transparency. Merenzon said that they would register in the United Kingdom within a few months.<ref>[https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2016/FIDE_News/GA_Agenda_2016/2016_General_Assembly_Minutes_Baku.pdf 2016 FIDE General Assembly Minutes] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714134208/https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2016/FIDE_News/GA_Agenda_2016/2016_General_Assembly_Minutes_Baku.pdf |date=July 14, 2017 }} Section 4.2, page 19</ref> As a result, a new company, World Chess Limited, was registered shortly after, replacing Agon as the rights holder in the agreement with FIDE.

====FIDE and Agon/World Chess contract controversy====

[[Kirsan Ilyumzhinov]] was happy with the agreement on the basis that now FIDE itself did not have to expend resources to find organizers for its premier events. The issue of financial guarantees was also important, though as explained below, these have not always materialized. His estimation of 10–12 million euros to FIDE from the coming cycles has not yet come to fruition either.<ref>[http://www.sport-express.ru/newspaper/2012-02-20/15_1/ Ilyumzhinov interview] (SportExpress)</ref><ref>[http://www.chessintranslation.com/2012/02/ilyumzhinov-on-the-london-candidates-and-grand-prix English Translation of Ilyumzhinov interview] (Chess In Translation)</ref>

The condition that Agon would be the sole organizer of Championship events was disputed originally by principally the Bulgarian Chess Federation, with respect to the Candidates matches for 2012.<ref name="2012ga">[https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2012/Congress/Minutes_of_FIDE_General_Assembly_2012.pdf Minutes 2012 FIDE General Assembly] Section 4.3 (page 18)</ref> In early 2014, a purported agreement between Paulson and FIDE President [[Kirsan Ilyumzhinov]] was leaked, and then published by Chess.com (and others), which allegedly indicated that Paulson was simply a front man with Ilyumzhinov the ultimate benefactor of Agon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/deal-between-paulson--ilymzhinov-revealed-in-yet-another-leaked-document-6252|title=Leaked Agreement Between Ilyumzhinov & Paulson Suggests Conflict of Interest|first=Peter|last=Doggers (PeterDoggers)|website=Chess.com|date=January 30, 2014 }}</ref> In that Chess.com article [[Malcolm Pein]] is quoted as having twice been told by Paulson that Ilyuzmhinov owned Agon, and in a ''New In Chess'' article [[Nigel Short]] asserted he had also been told this personally by Paulson.<ref>[https://issuu.com/newinchess/docs/newinchess_2014_2_short_stories_ago Short Stories (Agony)] Nigel Short, New In Chess 2014 #2, page 43]</ref> In response, FIDE's deputy vice president [[Georgios Makropoulos]] pointed out that the purported contract was a draft document.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7713-the-truth-about-the-fide-agon-contract.html|title=International Chess Federation – FIDE|website=www.fide.com|access-date=November 28, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208133836/https://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7713-the-truth-about-the-fide-agon-contract.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The FIDE Ethics Commission ruled in September 2015 that Ilyumzhinov did not violate the FIDE Code of Ethics.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2015/FIDE_News/2015_EB_Agenda__Annexes/Annex_52.pdf| title = 2015 FIDE Ethics Commission report, case 7/2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170714130636/https://www.fide.com/images/stories/NEWS_2015/FIDE_News/2015_EB_Agenda__Annexes/Annex_52.pdf| archive-date = July 14, 2017| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ethics.fide.com/images/stories/Ethics_Decision_case_7_2014.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623130601/http://ethics.fide.com/images/stories/Ethics_Decision_case_7_2014.pdf |archive-date=2019-06-23 |url-status=live|title=FIDE Ethics decision, case 7/2014}}</ref>