FIDE and IBA, the world federations of chess and boxing, come together through … chessboxing!

When the heads of FIDE and IBA met in Lausanne, Switzerland, in September 2022 and spoke about a collaboration between the chess world federation and the boxing world federation, possibly they could not foresee that their wish of doing something together would have led them to come together to support the 5th WCBO Chessboxing World Championships (to be held in Riccione from 28th October to 2nd November 2023). But, if you thing carefully, what better way of collaborating between the world of chess and the world of boxing than … chessboxing?!

See also: https://www.iba.sport/news/fide-president-dvorkovich-visits-iba-head-office/

FIDE, on 26th July, let the Organising Committee of Riccione 2023 that the event is “supported by FIDE”; on 28th September, one month from the start of the championships, IBA informed the Organising Committee that they were licensing the event and “… expressing willingness of the IBA to support the event politically and informationally”.

The 5th WCBO Chessboxing World Championships, organised by FISP (Italian ChessBoxing Federation), and WCBO (World Chess Boxing Organisation) have attracted support both internationally and nationally. Nationally the Region Emilia-Romagna has invested in the event through Sport Valley Emilia-Romagna whilst the Municipality of Riccione has given its Patronage and some other financial support such as the usage of its beautiful Playhall. It has been very important in obtaining the organisation of these Championships, and then to organise them, the support and Patronage given by ASI a sport body recognised by CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee; ASI has supported FISP since its establishment in 2012.

Patronages have been granted also by FSI, the Italian Chess Federation which is giving its support also through its press office. On the international level, patronages have been granted by FSS, San Marino Chess Federation, and Panathlon International with which FISP has had very good relationships since 2015.

The World Championships Riccione 2023 have also found the support of some Sponsors and Technical Sponsors, specifically: Indigo Sports Tech company that has a history of supporting chessboxing. The Technical Sponsors are Leone 1947, the famous Italian company of sport-wear and combat sports accessories, Chess.com, the number 1 site for chess with over 100 million subscribers and the Italian start up Hora Beverage. Some other sponsors might still join before the start of the event.

Read also: Leone 1947 e Chess.com sono gli sponsor tecnici dei Campionati del Mondo Riccione 2023.

The production of the event will be taken care by Ivan Gatti Produzioni that comes back to chessboxing after having helped to produce the great II International Chessboxing Show in the beautiful Piazza Ducale in Vigevano. Everything is gearing towards celebrating three 20th Anniversaries: the birth of chessboxing (September 2003 in Berlin), the establishment of the first WCBO, and the dispute of the first Chessboxing World Championship (November 2003 in Amsterdam).

Iepe Rubingh in Rimini in 2016.

These Championships, in tournament format, will honour the memory of Iepe Rubingh, the inventor of chessboxing and first president of WCBO, who also won the first World Championship, in match format, twenty years ago. Iepe has been in Riccione and Romagna in the past; we have been able to retrieve a photograph, here to the side, that depicts him at the Grand Hotel in Rimini, in 2016.

This photograph has also been added to the new version of the Programme: