Politicizing Sports

@sh76 said
Banning individual players due to actions of their government is extremely unfair and wrong.

What the Olympics did a few years ago with the Russians (I think it was for drug violations) in letting the athletes compete, but just not under the national flag, was the best way to do it.

I agree.

To my knowledge, neither FIDE nor ICCF has banned individual players because of their government's actions. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian teams are banned from correspondence chess, and Russian players cannot use their national flag.

My problem was mainly that that decision was selective and discriminative, among other things. The US has started several highly dubious wars, but the International Correspondence Chess Federation has never even discussed the possibility of banning the US teams.

One player was banned individually by FIDE. Grandmaster Garjakin got a 6 months ban, and not because Russia starter a war, but because they said Karjakin justified or supported that war.

I still disagree.

Karjakin believes that some facts about war crimes and genocide committed by Ukraine are justifying the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I disagree with Karjakin because the number of people killed in the first few months of the Ukraine war was already bigger than the number of people killed in the Donbas domestic war.

But I disagree with FIDE too.

As well, all the Western countries' national teams could be banned because the politicians and journalists of those countries ignore the atrocities committed by Ukraine since 2014.

So, if to start politicizing sports, then if to behave consistently, then most of the countries on the planet would be banned.

@vivify said
Targeting civilians is a war crime. That's a fact.
Annexing land is a war crime.
Deporting citizens from their homeland is a war crime.

Russia committed all three of these acts, making Putin a war criminal. I've stated facts; your ignorance of them is your own fault.

When and how did I ignore the war crimes committed by Russia?
You are seriously slandering me, and THIS is a crime too.

In the context of these issues discussed above, ignoring the war crimes was justified because the argumentation was about whether that war was an act of aggression.

Moreover, let me note that you are talking only about Russian war crimes. It is well known that Ukraine committed war crimes during the civil war starting in 2014 and that Ukraine has committed war crimes in the present war with Russia.

Your intentional dismissal of such war crimes makes you complicit in those war crimes.

@eintaluj said
When and how did I ignore the war crimes committed by Russia?

Ignorance doesn't mean "ignore". I assume you're not a native speaker of English to make such a mistake.

I used the word "ignorance" after you stated you weren't certain if deporting children is a war crime, which according to the Geneva Convention, it is.

Moreover, let me note that you are talking only about Russian war crimes. It is well known that Ukraine committed war crimes during the civil war starting in 2014 and that Ukraine has committed war crimes in the present war with Russia.

This is another tired, fallacious argument from Russian apologists. No one excuses Ukraine for war crimes or human rights violations but you know that; this is just propagandist deflection from Putin.

No matter my (or your) opinion on Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. or any other country, it doesn't change or excuse the fact that Russia committed war crimes and should be face consequences.

@eintaluj said
I am sure most of my arguments apply equally well to the behaviour of FIDE, but my post concerns merely correspondence chess organizations.

I would like to hear your opinion concerning my arguments.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ESTONIAN CORRESPONDENCE CHESS FEDERATION

Please exclude me from the membership of the Estonian Correspondence Chess Federation.

I no longer pay ...[text shortened]... terwards about the vote or its results.


With respect

Jüri Eintalu

Tallinn, March 29, 2023

Interesting.

I’ve never really thought about it before, but, indeed, banning sportsmen from competition because of what their political leaders are doing is a generalised collective punishment. And thus illegal.

@shavixmir said
Interesting.

I’ve never really thought about it before, but, indeed, banning sportsmen from competition because of what their political leaders are doing is a generalised collective punishment. And thus illegal.

It is some mixed version of collective punishment. Individually, and if not using their national flag, they can participate in the ICCF competitions.

However, what I do not understand is how the government of my country could rob my national flag?