Lev Khariton: Milov is suing FIDE?!

This is Vadim Milov’s letter published at the site of ACP
(Association of Chess Professionals) on
Jun 26th)
“Dear chess colleagues,
Although I signed the contract and agreed to play in the World
Championship in Libya, I was excluded from this tournament only
because of my possession of the Israeli passport. Fide has done
everything possible for me to miss this tournament. They sent me the
invitation too late (on Friday 18th of June), which was the arrival
day and I already physically couldn't get the plane to Tripoli.
I think all chessplayers have had enough of Fide's lies. I'm going to
sue Fide for failing to fullfil their obligations and for forcing me
to miss the World Championship.
Vadim Milov
Biel, Switzerland
June 25th, 2004”

True, GM Milov’s right to participate at the World Championship
has been rudely violated. Every chess player belongs to the FIDE
family (rememeber, Gens Una Sumus?). I wonder,however, why Israeli
chess players residing outside Israel remember that they are from
Israel only when their rights are violated? Also, I cannot imagine
that Tal or Petrosian could even think of suing Botvinnnik or FIDE
when they were sick awaiting surgery and when Botvinnik insisted in
1961 and 1963 on starting the matches at the time convinient for him,
and FIDE did not comply with their requests to postpone the match.. Or
could you imagine Spassky suing FIDE playing into the hands of Fischer
when Bobby came late for the match in Iceland in 1972? Obviously
(excuse my grumbling), top-flight chess players today (and I am sure
that Milov is unlikely to ever achieve Tal’s or Spassky’s
stature) are not of the same flesh and blood as their really great
predecessors. Soon we’ll meet them at courts more often than at
the chessboards. Although, certainly I would be the last one to
approve of FIDE.