The challenges of Hosting major events owned by international federations: A case study of the 2014 Chess Olympics

Abstract

This article focuses on the challenges of hosting events owned by international federations. The empirical data is from the Chess Olympiad, which was hosted in Tromsø, Norway, in 2014. The organizers met several unforeseen problems, some of which were due to lack of experience and strategic misjudgments. Some of the problems were also the result of conflicting interests with the owner of the event, the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The article gives insight into the strategies international federations can use to strengthen their power in such situations. FIDE tried on several occasions to induce bidding wars, and the effort was successful when the auctions had the character of a secret auction. The local organizers came out of the auctions the best when they could communicate with their rival, in this case the city of Albena, Bulgaria. The article paints the picture of an international federation that was willing to go quite far to exploit the power at hand, including the use of instruments of an unethical character.