The best Azerbaijani chess-player Vugar Gamishov has serious problems in Azerbaijan. In an interview with RFE/Radio Liberty he explained the causes of the scandal.

The story, which has recently attracted the chess community’s attention, began when the Azerbaijani men’s team went to Khanty-Mansiysk to take part in the 39th chess Olympiad. The team went without Vugar Gamishov, who is three-times champion of Azerbaijan. In 2009, the Azerbaijani national team was declared European champion.

The Azerbaijani team won the 12th place at the Olympiad though they had more serious claims. The team, as well as its manager Zurab Aigmaiparashvili, who had to resign, account for the poor results by Vugar Gashimov’s absence. Among the reasons why Gashimov was not included in the national team is that he is playing at the Spain-based Garry Kasparov club. Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Azad Ragimov condemned Gashimov for playing for the Kasparov-Marcote club. He said the chess-player should not have played for a club named after an Armenian.

Asked to comments on the accusations, Gashimov said: “Everybody is well aware that it’s not Kasparov’s team. Fernando Marcote invited Kasparov to his team as a brand. That is it is only Kasparov’s name that is used by the team. Marcote died a few years ago, but Kasparov’s name remained. Then the team became champion of Spain and no one wished to rename it.”

As to the reasons for his not participating in the 39th Olympiad, Gashimov said: “to tell the truth, the reasons remain unclear for me as well. No one invited me anywhere, nor did I refuse to play for the Azerbaijani team.” The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Chess Federation of Azerbaijan claimed they tried to get in touch with Gashimov many times, but he did not answer. Therefore, he was left out of the team and did not take part in the Olympiad.