Kazakhstan to host World Chess Olympiad in 2018
Head of Kazakhstan's Chess Federation Aliya Mukazhanova confirmed the news at Tuesday press conference in the Kazakh capital - Astana.
"Kazakhstan was believed to play the host to FIDE Grand Prix in 2014. However, during the latest meeting of President of Kazakhstan's Chess Federation Asset Issekeshev with President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov it was decided that the FIDE Grand Prix would take place in 2017. And in 2018 Kazakhstan will welcome the World Chess Olympiad," Ms Mukazhanova said.
The President of FIDE thinks that EXPO-2017 infrastructure in Astana may be used to host the biggest chess event in the world.
FIDE organized the first men's Chess Olympiad in 1927. The trophy for the winning team is the Hamilton-Russell Cup and a gold medal for each member of the team. The USSR men's team won the Cup 18 times, more than any other team in the world.
