Jamaica’s Wilkinson re-elected to FIDE post

Ian Wilkinson, attending his 11th straight Olympiad, was re-elected as a member of the FIDE Constitutional Commission (CC). He described the vote as being ‘hotly contested.‘ Wilkinson comes with some history in FIDE, having served on the Ethics Commission and even running as Vice President in the 2022 Election.

A consummate legal mind, Wilkinson served his country as a top lawyer and is currently a member of the King’s Counsel, a cadre of the most accomplished lawyers in the world. Nevertheless, if FIDE doesn’t have the brightest minds working to improve policy, it is doomed as an entity.

The FIDE Constitutional Commission (CC) is charged with managing the rules and regulations of the chess body. Most recently, the CC has reformed the FIDE Charter (2020), Electoral Rules (2021), and the FIDE Handbook (2022). The vote tally for four positions was as follows (with one position reserved for gender equity):

• Erald Dervishi (Albania) – 78 votes
• Ian Wilkinson (Jamaica) – 75 votes
• Marouane Tabti (Algeria) – 74 votes
• Jorge Arias Bouzada (Uruguay) – 73 votes
• Ivy Claire Amoko (Uganda) – 70 votes
• Yanori Morera Campos (Costa Rica) – 60 votes

With so many legal challenges surrounding cheating, the world championship cycle, fractured federations, and the status of Russia/Belarus, FIDE can be a very contentious place. The General Assembly voted to keep the sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

Wilkinson was the President of the Jamaican Chess Federation from 2003 to 2019 and led the island to growth and expansion. He told The Chess Drum that with the government’s support, the island is poised to make a jump with a number of young talents. He is the Chair of the “GM in 10,” a government-backed initiative led by GM Maurice Ashley.

In this short interview, he discusses the future of Jamaican chess, his re-election, his role in FIDE, and his impression of where chess is headed.

Video by Daaim Shabazz/The Chess Drum