Kirsan Ilyumzhinov: Toilet incident solved. Now we are negotiating the issue of the score

Elista, 1 October 2006

For 2 days already – from very late evening of the 29th of September, since the moment when the FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov arrived in Elista – the negotiations regarding the variations of the continuation of the Veselin Topalov-Vladimir Kramnik World Championship match are taking place.

The 1st of October, the day when the 6th game was supposed to be played, was announced as a technical time-out. In the morning of the 1st of October, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov presented an official statement for the press:

–As you are aware, since 29th of September, the negotiations between the team of Topalov, the team of Kramnik and FIDE are taking place. We are moving forward with great difficulties, but there is some progress. The most important thing which can be mentioned in this connection is that both Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik are expressing their readiness to continue the match. There have been several points to be solved, and we are solving them, step by step. In order to move from the “dead point”, last night the members of the Appeals Committee submitted their resignation. Today in the morning I accepted this resignation and temporarily resumed the functions of the Chairman of the Appeals Committee – before the arrival of its new members. In this my new capacity, I held another round of the negotiations with the parties. We reached an agreement regarding the restrooms (and bathrooms). A permanent restroom will be assigned to each player for the whole duration of the match.

The representatives of each team will be provided with a possibility of a thorough check of these rooms. So right now we are heading to the Conference Hall of the Government of Kalmykia, to undertake the respective inspection. From now on the issue regarding the restrooms has been taken off our list and we are going to move forward.

–What is the progress reached in the issue regarding the score, to continue the match?
–There are some proposals. Now we are negotiating the issue. We do not stand still.

–Are there any comments regarding the situation from the players’ managers?
The floor was given to the managers of the opponents’ teams – Danailov and Hensel, but Silvio and Carsten, without any prior agreement, said together «No comment!”

After a few minutes the FIDE President together with the representatives of the teams started inspecting the restrooms. From now on the restroom to the left (if one looks from the spectators’ position) will be assigned to Kramnik, and the restroom to the right – to Topalov. Press was not allowed to enter the rooms.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov made an announcement: “The Bulgarian team will be inspecting the rooms during two hours. The results of the inspection shall be announced at 15.00 hrs”.