FIDE officials inspect preparations for Chess Olympiad in Baku Crystal Hall

Baku. 8 April. REPORT.AZ/ A senior FIDE team comprised of Deputy President Georgios Makropoulos, Vice President Israel Gelfer, Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Borg, Moscow Executive Director Berik Balgabaev and Chairman of Arbiters Commission Takis Nikolopoulos visited Baku for an inspection of the playing venue and hotels which will be used during the forthcoming Olympiad in September in Baku, Report informs.

The team met with Azerbaijan`s Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov as well as senior officials from the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, Vice Presidents Mahir Mammadov and Faik Gasanov as well as senior management from the organizing committee including Deputy Director Joanna Golas.

The working teams visited the Crystal Hall where the tournament will be held and the layout was analyzed and described in full detail by the organizing committee. The vehicles which will be used to transfer teams and delegates from the various hotels to the Crystal Hall were also inspected. FIDE also participated in the signing ceremony between the organizers and a number of hotels which will provide accommodation for the teams during the event.

A number of meetings were also held regarding visa procedures, travel subsidies, opening and closing ceremonies, event promotion and other operational matters.