Circumstantially speaking

At first forbidden from participating in the imminent 10th Chess World Cup, Ukrainian Grandmaster Vasyl Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk was finally granted a sort of parole by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine following a petition signed by not less than three former World Chess Champions. Apparently the petition has been accepted just because the chances that Ivanchuk can play Russian and Belarusian opponents are quite unlikely, if not impossible. But what if it were to happen? Ivanchuk stated to gordonua.com — a pro-government news site — that he has discussed such an eventuality with Yuriy Pavlovich Gnyp, executive director of the Ukrainian Chess Federation. “He said to me that if such a situation arises, decisions will be made according to the circumstances”, Ivanchuk said.

Midnight Express

In an open letter published on the FIDE website six top Grandmasters, including three former World Chess Champions, urge Ukraine’s government in general and the Minister of Youth and Sport of Ukraine in particular, Vadym Markovich Gutzeit, to let Grandmaster Vasyl Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk free and allow him to participate in the forthcoming 10th Chess World Cup.