The Current Status of FIDE Endorsed Academies for 2021

At the end of 2020, there were 43 FIDE Endorsed Academies, and one (1) other suspended due an Ethics violation based on a complaint by a FIDE Commission.

In early December, annual reports for 2020 were requested by a 31 January 2021 deadline, and at the same time invoices were issued for 2021 annual membership fees as follows:

Dear Friends

We thank you all for being part of the FIDE Endorsed Academy Program in 2020.

Your membership fees for 2021 will be due by end of January and FIDE Accounts will soon be sending you invoices which in some cases would include any balance still outstanding.

I would like to remind and also ask that all submit their annual report by that date, if possible, earlier.

We want to develop a comprehensive, meaningful and relevant FIDE Academies Program in 2021 and need to first fully understand if any have financial difficulties, and to also have confirmation of your activities in 2020, and perhaps even earlier to have a comparison.

A report template is accordingly attached and ask that you use this and not a different or own version.

For us it is very important that you are not a FIDE Academy in name only as it should be a requirement for a FIDE Endorsed Academy to be active and a leader in their area of work, with currently licenced trainers, be excellent operationally and able to work closely with both TRG and FIDE.

In February we will propose a meeting of FIDE Academies together with the participation of FIDE Management.

We have worked hard to increase your rights and to find the right balance with the rights of National Chess Federations and we hope that all (three) parties in chess development can co-exist respectfully and even to increase cooperation.

Two significant activity proposals/programs we  have developed specifically for FIDE Academies are:

  1. Official FIDE Academies Annual Conference & Championships
  2. Preparation, Testing and Roll-Out of Foundation Course for Trainers for the Teaching and Development of 1200-1700 Young Players  
  3. Co-operation with TRG for the organising of Seminars, Workshops and Camps

But ultimately, before we continue to invest, we have to answer if this is useful to you and also if you can indeed participate and so your early and candid feedback, even before submitting your report, is very welcome as would be any practical proposals that would benefiting all stakeholders in this program.

One regret, besides all being so busy with work, that in this special time, we have had so little communications and this is something that we should look to rectify.

Thank you and best wishes

Peter

To date, at the deadline, we have received 36 of the 43 reports due.

As to problems with renewal of annual membership fees, FIDE and TRG is mindful and sympathetic to the challenges in this time of pandemic and have immediately agreed to a three month moratorium for all who have asked.

Our review now begins with what you tell us in your reports and correspondences, and this will be the basis of our findings and subsequent recommendations to be submitted to the FIDE Management Board.

The list of FIDE Endorsed Academies for 2021 can be found here: https://trainers.fide.com/2021/02/08/2020-fide-endorsed-academies/