Nicosia, April 6 (QNA) - The Qatar Chess Association has participated in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) meeting held in Cyprus, on the sidelines of the Candidates Tournament, which features eight male and eight female players.

The winners of both tournaments will qualify for the World Chess Championship finals.

Attended by Mohammed Al Mudahka, the President of the Qatar Chess Association and the FIDE Director of International Relations, the meeting discussed several important topics related to the future of the game and the upcoming tournament schedule.

The FIDE Council also commended the great success of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships for men and women, which Qatar hosted last December.

During the meeting, several important decisions were made to develop chess, most notably awarding the hosting rights for the 2032 World Chess Olympiad to Africa, with the host country to be determined later.

The hosting rights for the 2034 edition were awarded to South America.

Last January, the FIDE appointed Mohammed Al Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association, to oversee the upcoming World Chess Olympiad, scheduled to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 10 to 24.

Al Mudahka praised the significant efforts of FIDE, under the leadership of Arkady Dvorkovich, to elevate the game at all levels, expand its reach, and develop its competitions.

The President of the Qatar Chess Association explained that the upcoming strategy aims to further advance chess in Asia, noting that Uzbekistan's hosting of the World Chess Olympiad is part of its ongoing efforts to support the game.

The Qatari national team will participate in the Olympiad, a significant achievement in various aspects, contributing to raising the level of the players and providing them with valuable international experience.

It is worth noting that the FIDE was founded on July 20, 1924, during the eighth Olympic Games in Paris, with the participation of representatives from 15 national federations, to be the international body regulating the game of chess around the world. (QNA)