Once in a lifetime opportunity - Become a volunteer at the Chess Olympiad 2022
The Chess Olympiad 2022 is happening in Chennai, India from the 28th of July to 10th of August 2022. One of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Chess Olympiad will witness the participation of players from over 150 countries. While this is extremely exciting as a chess fan, a natural question that could come to the mind of any chess enthusiast is - how can I be a part of this grand event? The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has an answer for this! They have launched the volunteer program where you not only have a chance to be a part of the Olympiad, but will also earn a stipend, certificate and a lifetime of experience! Check out the article to know more.
The Chess Olympiad volunteer program
Chess Olympiad is the biggest chess event organised in the world with over 180+countries and 1700+ players participating in it. Normally organised every second year, it's happening over the board for the first time after the 2018 Batumi Olympiad. India has steadily improved its performance at the Olympiads. It won its first medal, a bronze at the 2014 Tromso Olympiad. During the pandemic it won a joint gold medal with Russia at 2020 Online Olympiad. India continued its medal streak at the 2021 online version with a bronze medal.
The 44th Chess olympiad originally planned for Minsk, Belarus shifted to Moscow, Russia. However after the Ukraine war broke out on 24th February 2022, FIDE decided to shift the Olympiad. In less than twenty days India bid and got the Olympiad for the first time ever in the country. With the backing of the Tamil Nadu Government and the Honourable Chief Minister M K Stalin, we were able to provide a guarantee of Rs. 75 crores to FIDE for the event.
As the Olympiad is the event which a country hosts, we have decided to provide the maximum benefit to the chess community at large. Hence we are providing an unique opportunity for any chess player or enthusiast from across the country or even the globe to become a part of this incredible event. We will be recruiting a couple hundred volunteers for the event and are inviting applications for the same. We also urge women enthusiasts to apply in large numbers as will be selecting a high percentage of female volunteers to maintain parity with the Olympiad players. This is your opportunity to help India and the chess community put up the best Olympiad till date.
A lifetime opportunity to become a volunteer at the Chess Olympiad 2022
Benefits of Volunteering
- Interaction/Photo op with the top chess players of the world. Volunteers will have the best possible interaction with players far ahead of officials, media and any spectators
- Stipend, accommodation and meals for the entire duration at Mahabalipuram
- Travel fare to & fro Chennai - foreign volunteers will have to manage their own travel and visa fees
- Volunteer Certificate
Eligibility for Volunteering
- Age between 18 to 30 years. One should be 18 as on 1-May-22. We can consider applications for people upto age of 35 if there exists a deep connection with chess
- Either FIDE rated or AICF registered - if you are neither, see the link below to register as an AICF member
- Fluent in English
- Willing to spend 20+ days onsite (20-July to 11-Aug) in Chennai. This is very crucial. Event is from 28 July to 10 August. Typically players and officials will start arriving from 24-25 Jul. Hence onsite training & mock drills 4-5 before at Mahabalipuram
- Fully vaccinated against COVID (both doses) before 1-May-2022
- Additional benefits for knowing foreign languages particularly French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian.
Tips to increase one’s chance of getting selected
- Fill the form with a professional outlook - don't use ALL CAPS for answers, don’t write in texting language, read all the guidelines and descriptions of each question properly and then answer keeping those in mind. This shows basic attention to detail
- List all your chess associations - including tournaments played & won, ratings, volunteering/organising experience, training, arbitership, etc. There is a high emphasis on selecting volunteers with a chess background
- Upload a professional CV even though the question is optional - this creates a good impression on the selection team and we can go through your entire history presented in a professional format
- Answer all the questions even though some descriptive questions are optional. Spend some time thinking about your answer and then write a proper answer in professional English. We are looking for people who are serious and willing to spend time on this.
- The single most important question is ‘Why do you want to volunteer for the Olympiad?’. This has to be answered in less than 100 words. Think about it properly and write the answer truthfully of what is actually motivating you for this Olympiad
- Team Leaders: The application form and subsequently an online interview will select volunteers and also team leaders. People having experience of managing teams at their college events or jobs will be well placed to become team leaders. These points should be suitably highlighted both in the application form and the CV
- People who have already submitted their forms can go back to the Google form link and edit any of their responses and then resubmit. Only the final submission before the deadline will be considered for evaluation. The final deadline will be sometime in the first or second week of May. However, submitting the form earlier always has advantages.
Fill in the application form
So apply for this amazing opportunity and also spread the word around to your family and friends.
Links:
AICF Website Call for Volunteer
Google Form for Volunteer Application
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)s
Email in case of query (First go through the FAQs): volunteer@aicf.in
