Contactee chess president re-elected

A Russian who claims to have encountered extraterrestrials has been re-elected to another 4-year term as president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has held the position since 1995, beat Anatoly Karpov in the presidential election by a vote of 95 to 55. Ilyumzhinov was Russia’s official candidate, publicly backed by the Kremlin, while Karpov was strongly opposed by Russia, likely due to his criticism of Russian politics.

After an ugly campaign of mud-slinging and name-calling, Ilyumzhinov extended an invitation to Karpov, offering him the vice presidency. However, after accusing Ilyumzhinov of incompetence and corruption during the campaign, Karpov might find serving as Ilyumzhinov’s vice president slightly uncomfortable.

Earlier this year, Ilyumzhinov publicly claimed to have met with extraterrestrials in Moscow, where he communicated with them and was shown around their spaceship.

Having stepped down from his role as president of the Russian republic of Kalmykia, Ilyumzhinov should now have more time to devote to the FIDE.