ACCRA: Russian former chess great and fierce Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov said on Thursday that the Sochi Winter Olympics promoted “dictatorship” in the country and called on athletes to protest.
Kasparov, in Ghana to push his bid to be head of the world chess federation (FIDE), has previously slammed the staging of the Games in the Black Sea resort, claiming infrastructure would not be ready.
The Games open on February 7 but have faced concerns about security and boycott threats after international condemnation at Russia’s passing of a controversial law banning gay “propaganda.”
“Participating in this event, especially the opening ceremony, gives a boost to the dictator because that’s all he needs, just to be sort of in the center of public attention,” Kasparov told AFP in Accra, referring to President Vladimir Putin.
Kasparov, 50, has been a relentless critic of Putin and last year organized protests against the government for its passing of the gay law, which has led to claims of a rise in hate crime.
The Grandmaster, a former world number one widely considered the greatest chess player of all time, singled out the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for not taking a stand.
“They (the IOC) did statements all the time, 1968 in Mexico, for instance,” he said, referring to the “Black Power” salute of US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony.
“We are witnessing the Olympics that are blatantly used for the promotion of the dictatorship,” he added.
Smith and Carlos, gold and bronze medallists in the 200m, raised a gloved fist each during the playing of the US national anthem in support of the civil rights struggle in their homeland.
Kasparov’s call echoes groups such as Amnesty International which said the IOC’s silence in the face of Russia’s crackdown on free speech and fundamental rights made a mockery of its charter.
Human Rights Watch also called the charter “meaningless” given IOC assertions that the law banning gay “propaganda” was not discriminatory.
Kasparov, who was born in Baku in what is now Azerbaijan, now lives outside Russia for fear of arrest.
He made an abortive bid for Russia’s presidency in 2007 but said he has now ruled out ever running again for the country’s top job.
“In Putin’s Russia, nobody’s fighting to win elections, we’re fighting to have elections,” he added.
The battle to become head of FIDE is between Kasparov and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has headed the sport for 18 years but is thought to have Kremlin backing.
Sochi Games promote ‘dictatorship’ — Kasparov
Sochi Games promote ‘dictatorship’ — Kasparov
Bournemouth snap Liverpool’s unbeaten run to up pressure on Slot
- Goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez put the home side in a commanding position
- Defeat will intensify the scrutiny on Liverpool boss Arne Slot
BOURNEMOUTH, UK: Bournemouth ended Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten run as Amine Adli’s 95th minute strike secured a thrilling 3-2 win for the Cherries on Saturday.
Goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez put the home side in a commanding position but Liverpool hit back through Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai to level.
However, Bournemouth won for just the second time in 15 matches after Adli fired in with virtually the last kick of the game.
Defeat will intensify the scrutiny on Liverpool boss Arne Slot with the Reds likely to fall outside of the Premier League’s top four after Sunday’s fixtures.
Slot, who guided Liverpool to Premier League glory last season, had steadied the ship after a run of nine defeats in 12 games earlier in the campaign.
But the Dutchman has attracted criticism for Liverpool’s uninspiring performances, even during their unbeaten run, and they are now winless in five league games.
The Reds put in a commanding performance to beat Marseille 3-0 and close in on the Champions League last 16 in midweek.
But they again struggled when faced with the rigours of breaking down a Premier League defense after gifting the Cherries a 2-0 lead.
The visitors dominated the ball throughout, but were made to pay for two defensive lapses in seven first-half minutes.
Van Dijk was too casual as he tried to flick Marcos Senesi’s ball over the top behind for a corner and Alex Scott pounced to cross for Evanilson to hammer home.
In trying to prevent the goal, Joe Gomez picked up an injury to further deplete Liverpool’s already threadbare options at center-back.
The visitors were down to 10 men as Wataru Endo waited to replace Gomez when Bournemouth doubled their lead.
Milos Kerkez was caught sleeping on his return to the Vitality Stadium to allow Jimenez to sneak in behind and slot in his first Bournemouth goal.
Van Dijk atoned for his previous error to begin the Liverpool fightback when he headed in Szoboszlai’s corner.
- Reward for positivity -
Andy Robertson replaced Kerkez at half-time despite being linked with a move to Tottenham before the transfer window closes in just over a week’s time.
Liverpool had little to show for their domination of the ball in the second period until Szoboszlai’s strike sparked a wild finale.
The Hungarian slotted a free-kick under the Marseille wall on Wednesday and this time used a flick from Cody Gakpo to work an angle to blast into the far corner.
Almost straight from kick-off, Liverpool needed Alisson Becker to produce a brilliant save from Ryan Christie to prevent Bournemouth retaking the lead.
Evanilson then wasted a glorious chance to win the game when the Brazilian slotted wide with just Alisson to beat.
Bournemouth could also have lost it when goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic made a fine save to prevent Florian Wirtz from finding the bottom corner.
But Andoni Iraola’s men were rewarded for going for the win when Adli smashed in from a narrow angle after Liverpool failed to clear a long throw.
Victory lifts Bournemouth up to 13th and 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
