Chess members believe the president should step down immediately:

Oslo Schakselskap president Gunnar Glendrange wants to mobilize Chess Norway to remove president Joachim Birger Nilsen (29).

In Norway’s oldest chess club, a dozen people sit and fight for the club championship in Oslo Schakselskap (OSS).

Among the battles in the parties, there is mainly one thing that is talked about at the coffee pot: the admission of cheating by the president of chess.

– My first reaction was “what the fuck”. When our chess president admits he cheated on him, then you feel the world isn’t ready for Easter, Glendrange tells in OSS to VG.

– Did I notice that you get a little angry when you talk about it?

– Yes, there is complete zero tolerance for cheating in chess. Bring the whole game into disrepute. And then it’s our main trustee who does this. It is completely meaningless, as is possible, he replies.

Glendrange believes the chess president should step down immediately.

– If he does not take responsibility on his own, I will do what I can to ensure that Chess-Norway takes responsibility, says the chairman of the OSS.

– What does it mean?

– I have already called a board meeting in OSS, in order to do it in a formal, compliant and complete way. My clear position is that this is completely unacceptable. We can’t have a president who has admitted to cheating on a high and serious level, Glendrange replies.

He receives support from several club members.

– He should resign as soon as possible, concludes Arne Kristian Lindmo in OSS.

– A leader who admits to cheating cannot remain a leader in an organization there the perhaps it is the worst thing you can imagine for this sport. It can destroy so much for the interest of the people and the trust of chess players, Lindmo adds.

– I think it will be difficult to have an incumbent president who admits to cheating, says Håkon Bjerkenes Øystese in OSS.

Nilsen has listened to the criticism, but does not currently wish to comment on the matter.

On Thursday, the Norwegian chess president since July of this year acknowledged the opposite NRK to had betrayed the 2016/2017 season. At the time, Nilsen was part of the “Norway Gnomes” chess team.

– It wasn’t legal, and I’m pretty clear about that. The fact that it was many years ago has nothing to do with this. That’s not the way to go at all, Nilsen told the channel.

The chess association invented one on Thursday Press release where they strongly distance themselves from Nilsen’s deception, but at the same time recognize its openness.

– We do not support his action, but it is an isolated incident, so obviously we appreciate his openness, when we see others deny it. We have to recognize that the way he chose to handle the issue was very orderly, Ganz tells VG.

The admission comes at a time when the chess community has experienced major revelations about cheating at the highest level.

There are divergent opinions in OSS. Some did not understand the case very well, while others believe that one must be able to forgive Nilsen.

– I was shocked by the news. You shouldn’t be doing this kind of thing. However, I think it’s good that he admits it. There have been thousands of instances where people have been exposed for cheating, just to deny it. I think it’s mitigating, besides, it’s so far back in time, says Knut Bjørkmann.

The board of the chess association is elected by the members at the annual congress. According to Secretary General Ganz, the council does not have the ability to appoint or remove members of the central council. The next congress meeting is in July 2023.

– Isn’t it a long time to go, when it comes to a question as big as this?

– We have the ability to hold extraordinary congresses and annual meetings if necessary, replies Ganz.

– Was this discussed at today’s board meeting?

– We haven’t discussed it so far, he replies.

Glendrange believes it needs to be done.

– If he doesn’t want to give up, I think Chess Norway will have to take this into account, says the president.

– He was caught with his pants down and he has to take responsibility and step aside. We must have another salesman. Everyone knows there is zero tolerance for cheating. It’s a fraud, Glendrange concludes.