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FIDE pushes for inclusion of chess in Paris 2024 Olympics

FIDE pushes for inclusion of chess in Paris 2024 Olympics
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Published: 13 Feb 2019 4:43 AM GMT
The governing body of chess launched a campaign yesterday to get Chess included in the Paris 2024 Olympics. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) suggests the inclusion of faster formats of the game, namely Rapid and Blitz to be included in the Olympic program. https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1095396007209254914?s=19 A statement by FIDE was put up on their website and it read:
Chess has officially launched its campaign to be included as a sport at the Paris Olympic Games 2024. This official launch took place Tuesday 12th of February in Paris, in the presence of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) President, Arkady Dvorkovich. Leaders of the International and French chess federations met with the French press to promote the inclusion of chess, a sport with a genuine global appeal – FIDE has a membership of 189 national federations, and 600 millions of people practice chess in the world. Arkady Dvorkovich (International Chess Federation), Bachar Kouatly (French Chess Federation) and Sophie Milliet (6 times French champion and International Master) are determined to see chess join the Paris 2024 Games. Chess is a fight on a board, and has proven especially for the rapid and blitz games, to draw wide audiences on tv and on line via video. Rapid and blitz are the format of play considered for the Paris 2024 competitions. Chess is progressing in the world with 600 million people practicing it, in several millions of games that are played online every day. Chess is also growing in France, where 67% of the members of the French Chess Federation are aged under 18 years old. If this growing sport becomes be part of the Olympic Games in 2024, France could count on Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, currently ranked number 2 in the world for blitz chess.
It is noteworthy to remember that Chess has its own olympiad that takes place every two years. However, if the sport is included within the Olympic program, this could mean a greater amount of exposure and limelight which would prove to be beneficial for the sport. The event in Paris 2024 is also in talks for including ESports as a full fleged competition and event. Blind chess made its Asian Games debut at the Jakarta Games in 2018.
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