Your Own Rules in Your Own Place
Elections of the Ukrainian Chess Federation President, Kyiv, 16 February 2001

Anatoli Jaworski
17.2.2001

 
«The ability to choose is the most precious quality of mind»
Thornton Wilder

Following the elections of the President of the Chess Federation of Ukraine that have taken place in Kyiv on 16 February, I was eager to argue with the famous American writer stating that apart of the ability to choose there is still an ability to be elected.
Ivan Byk, a professor from Kyiv, was re-elected President of the Chess Federation of Ukraine.
Despite the impressive results of the voting, the victory was far from being easy. Having analysed the campaign progress, it becomes evident that Byk's team has made a huge preparatory work...
 
By the presidential election day there were three nominations:
Ivan Byk, President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation
Sergey Momot, President, JSC DANKO
Dmitri Tabachnik, Deputy of Parliament
 
Many people were surprised to see the DANKO president among the candidates - he was not considered to be Ivan Byk's opponent. The conflict was pretended - Academician Amitan, vice-president of DANKO and Momot's representative at the elections, withdrew Sergey Momot's nomination in favour of the acting president.

Though Dmitri Tabachnik's reasons were hardly the same, his decision was the same. On 10 February «Sportyvna Gazeta» published his interview which was considered by many as the programme... It was apparent to the naked eye on the day of the elections: Tabachnik had no chances at all. In his valediction he told, with a touch of irony: «I see that the Chess Federation is all right and wish luck you all, particularly the collective members...»
(According to the Ukrainian Chess Federation Charter, the collective member representatives of the federation obtained a full-right mandate, so a representative of the region and, say, a representative of an institute enjoyed the same rights. The collective membership of the Federation comprised nearly a half of all delegates who supported Byk unanimously).
 
Afterwards, a non-alternative voting for Ivan Byk was commenced to yield his clean sweep:
for: 55
abstained: 6
against: 6
After the voting, a large group of delegates, mainly the supporters of Tabachnik and the representatives of the collective members of the Chess Federation of Ukraine, left the hall not waiting for the elections of the presidential team.
 
 
 
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