In one of the predecessors to this thread I asked:
BTW wasn't Eade "fired" (an oversimplification) over drug testing?
Wasn't Tanner more or less his replacement?

This message from Seirawan more or less answers my question. Yes,
drug testing was a major factor in Eade's resignation having been
accepted. It's not easy for me, reading only RGCP, to figure out who
the major players are and why the major decisions get made. But I
suspected that Seirawan was pulling the strings, and I am glad that
this has been clarified, even though I regret that all this dirty
laundry had to be hung out for such a large audience (and that I may
have had a hand in provoking it).


I don't think you've come to the right conclusion Bruce. If it was Yasser's
doing, Kelleher would've been "fired" too. Schultz likes Kelleher though. You
may have noticed in all of Scam Sloan's attacks he would mention Doyle and me,
but not Bill. It was pretty clear what was going on.

Yasser went off after we refused to go along with his no-confidence motion in
St. Paul. He's been writing crap like this for some time, but he never bothers
to check the facts. He gets dates wrong, meetings wrong and basically says
things took place that did not, and says things didn't happen that did. I was
there. He wasn't.


I do not think there is anything sinister about a major donor like
Seirawan controlling the selection of FIDE representatives. It's
unthinkable that if someone is funding the U.S. Championship, and
probably providing the lion's share for the Olympiad teams, he
wouldn't have a major role in our relations with FIDE.


Yasser has plenty of influence, but Schultz had the votes on that board.

Without taking sides, I would have to say that if firing Eade and
replacing him with Tanner didn't work, I would have a hard time
mustering enthusiasm for firing Tanner and/or Kelleher over the same
issue. This is the "off with their heads" approach to personnel. I
doubt that it would work any better for representatives to FIDE than
it did for Executive Directors. I don't know what other approach
would be effective, but perhaps someone closer to the issues can
suggest something creative.

Bruce Leverett

It was a personal thing between Don and me and it had nothing to do with drug
testing. You've come to an inaccurate conclusion. I do agree with you that
replacing Tanner and Kelleher would serve no purpose. The simple fact is that
the US does not have the votes and cannot get them.

If we walk out from FIDE, FIDE will recognize another organization and the
players will play for that one. There is only one way I can see for progress
to take place: The players need to organize and bargain collectively.

Blaming two or three volunteers for an inability to change world opinion in
FIDE is childish and unproductive. It is even worse then just casting blame and
finger pointing, however. They lie, and say we didn't even try. Sheesh.

If the players cannot unite on this issue, they will never unite. They will
forever be blaming others for their lot in life.


James Eade
Remove the Sheesh to respond. Don't worry. Talk happy.