42nd Chess Olympiad to see highest-ever participation
22 August 2016 14:30 (UTC+04:00)119
By Amina Nazarli
Ten days left to the 42nd Chess Olympiad to be held in Baku on September 1-14.
Director of the Baku Chess Olympiad Operating Committee, Mahir Mammadov has answered questions from the media regarding the progress of preparations for the World Chess Olympiad.
Mammadov announced that participating teams would start arriving in the Azerbaijani capital on August 25. By September 1, all the teams will be in Baku.
“Our capital is preparing for the major competition. A total of 182 teams representing 176 countries will take part in the Baku Chess Olympiad. This is the highest indicator in history for the number of participating countries,” he emphasized.
He said that in addition to preparations for the event, the Baku Chess Olympiad Operating Committee is also arranging a number of parallel activities.
“We have branded two buses of the Culture and Tourism Ministry as chess buses and put them at the disposal of Baku residents and visitors. Passengers of these buses can also test themselves in chess using the chess boards provided,” the head of the Operating Committee said.
More than 3,100 players, arbiters, journalists and congress delegates have been registered. Of these, 2,245 people have already received visas. Others will receive visas upon arrival at the airport, according to Mammadov.
“This process will not create bureaucracy or other problems at the airport. Our hotels and competition venue are fully ready for the event. The opening ceremony of the Baku Chess Olympiad will be held at the National Gymnastics Arena and start at 19:00 on September 1,” Mammadov said.
With 2,000 chess masters from 176 counties, FIDE’s biennial chess tournament, will gather teams from all over the world to compete for the best title.
The opening ceremony of the Olympiad will be held in the National Gymnastics Arena, while charming Crystal Hall, once hosting Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, will host the games.
Source: http://www.azernews.az
Welcome to baku we are waiting for you.