Officials of Chess Federation of Cambodia held a meeting with their counterparts in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Tuesday at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia headquarters to discuss the development of the sport for Cambodians on both the national and international stage, as well as sharing the vision of helping make chess a medal sport at the Winter Olympic Games.

“Our mission is to encourage the Cambodian federation to send its competitors to the Winter Olympic Games,” FIDE pesident Kirsan Ilymzhinov of Russia stated during the meeting. “We will hold an international chess competition in Norway [the 41st World Chess Olympiad in Tromso on August 1-15], and I hope Cambodia will show their presence on this international stage.

Furthermore, our organisation is going to conclude an upcoming conference with an election for the new president with Cambodia holding the right to a vote.” Ilymzhinov is the former president of the Republic of Kalmykia in southwest Russia, which is Europe's only officially Buddhist region.

Following the meeting with NOCC, the FIDE officials held a press conference at NagaWorld attended by government ministers, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between the Kingdom and the world chess governing body.

A plan to offer Cambodian players training scholarships in Russia was also announced. Heng Chamnan, chief of the CFC’s administration department, told the Post: “The main idea of the [FIDE] conference at NagaWorld was to urge Cambodia to participate at the competition in Norway. [FIDE] will offer us equipment and help launch this kind of this event in Cambodia this October.”