FIDE Announcements: Grand Prix, Kamsky - Topalov

The last few weeks have seen a flurry of FIDE anouncements on the Grand Prix, Global Chess BV, Kamsky - Topalov, and Anti-Doping Regulations.

• Grand Prix Qualifiers • 'FIDE is pleased to publish the names of the first batch of players who have qualified for the Grand Prix series 2008/9' [4 January 2008]
  
  
• Agreement between Global Chess BV and Turkish Chess Federation • 'Following the contractual assignment of relaunching the FIDE website by the Executive board in November, the CEO of Global Chess BV Geoffrey Borg and President of Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici signed an agreement for cooperating on developing new web technologies, improving the design and the content of the FIDE web site.' [14 January 2008]
  
  
• FIDE Grand Prix and Player's Undertaking • 'FIDE is pleased to announce the dates and venues for the 2008/2009 Grand Prix Tournaments' [1 February 2008, changed later]
  
  2008-04-20 / -05-06 Baku, Azerbaijan
  2008-07-30 / -08-15 Krasnoyarsk (or other Russian city), Russia
  2008-12-13 / -12-29 Doha, Qatar
  2009-04-14 / -04-28 Montreux, Switzerland
  2009-09-01 / -08-17 Elista, Russia
  2009-12-07 / -12-23 Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic [aka Karlsbad]
  
  Reserve cities are Istanbul and Teheran.
  
  
• Bids for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 • 'FIDE has accepted an offer for the WCC Challengers Match Kamsky - Topalov 2008 by the Bulgarian Chess Federation. This offer included a net prize fund of 150,000 USD and has been approved by the FIDE Presidential Board since June 2007.' [12 February 2008]
  
  
• FIDE Anti-Doping Regulations • 'In furtherance of its role, Federation Internationale Des Echecs (FIDE) [...] dedicates its efforts to ensuring that in chess the spirit of Fair Play prevails, leads the fight against doping in sport and takes measures the goal of which is to prevent endangering the health of competitors. [...] FIDE has accepted the World Anti Doping Code and its International Standards. For any matter that is not covered in these rules, the Code and the standards will prevail.' [13 February 2008]

It's curious that the FIDE Presidential Board accepted the Kamsky - Topalov bid in June 2007. There was recent speculation that it would take place in Elista.