FIDE Fair Play Seminar in Durrës, Albania

The FIDE Fair Play Commission, in collaboration with the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the FIDE Fair Play Seminar, held in Durrës, Albania, from October 5 to 7, 2023.

The event, which took place during the European Club Cup 2023, demonstrated the strength of collaboration among four different parties. By joining forces, FIDE FPL, FIDE WOM, ECU, and the Albanian Chess Federation, brought together a diverse group of seminar participants, fostering a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to addressing the multifaceted challenges associated with fair play in chess. The WOM Commission came with a special initiative – they reserved 10 spots for female participants (seminar + exam only) on a first-come, first-served basis.

Key Seminar Focus Areas Included:

• Fair Play Legal Framework
• Anti-Cheating Regulations
• Prof. Regan’s Statistics
• Technical Devices and Their Usage
• Fair Play Theory and Practice at Over-the-Board (OTB) and Online Events

The seminar was led by FIDE FPL lecturers who expertly navigated various topics, including event preparations, interactions with tournament officials and spectators, crowd management, cheating prevention and detection, observations, body language, psychological aspects, and unusual behaviors. These discussions were all conducted with the overarching goal of recognizing, detecting, and preventing unethical practices while fostering a culture of positive chess ethics.

The FIDE Fair Play Commission and the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess express their sincere gratitude to the European Chess Union and the Albanian Chess Federation for providing the opportunity to host this landmark event in the picturesque setting of Durrës, Albania. Their support and collaboration played a pivotal role in making this seminar a resounding success.

Seminar Details:

Seminar Lecturers and Examiners:

• Bojana Bejatovic – FPL Secretary
• Alex Colovic – FP Lecturer
• Jürgen Klüners – FPL Member

Participants: 19

Exam Pass Rate: 13 participants successfully passed the examination and received an FPE seminar norm, one of the requirements for the FPE title:

1. Alan Atkinson (ENG)
2. Agapi Ter-Avetisjana (LAT)
3. Bruna Geske (ALB)
4. Danara Shovunova (FIDE)
5. Driza, Arta (ALB)
6. Georgia Grapsa (GRE)
7. Gregor Johann (GER)
8. Guilherme Deola Borges(BRA)
9. Janek Kozak (POL)
10. Panagoda, Buddhi (SRI)
11. Rostislav Huňa (CZE)
12. Sandra Schmidt (GER)
13. Tomas Danada (CZE)

Certificates: All seminar participants received certificates for attending the seminar.

Stay tuned for forthcoming seminars from the FIDE Fair Play Commission as we remain committed to disseminating fair-play-related knowledge.

Photos by Niki Riga