Kazakh chess coach Olzhas Mengali commented on Bibisara Assaubayeva’s video message to the President of Kazakhstan. Mengali states that chess is not a priority sport in Kazakhstan, and says that chess players should not compare themselves to Olympians.

Olzhas Mengali

Olzhas Mengali

Kazakh chess coach

“Chess is not a priority sport in Kazakhstan. Do not compare yourself to Olympic sports!

There are the Olympic Games, the Deaflympics, the Paralympics, the Asian Games, and national sports.

That means you must clearly understand — do not compare yourself to Olympic sports and say, ‘I get two thousand, and someone else gets 250’, because this is an Olympic sport.

Get into an Olympic sport, then dictate the terms!”

Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva recorded a video addressed to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on June 10. Bibisara described her funding situation, said she hasn’t paid her seconds for the Norway Chess, and asked the president for help.

Credit: Michal Walusza / Norway Chess