Change of dates of 2008 World Computer Chess Championship, Computer Olympiad, and International Conference on Computer Games.
Our Chinese hosts for the 2008 ICGA events have just advised us that it has become necessary to change the dates of our events. The reason is that, recently, the International Olympic Committee has insisted that "No large-scale international conferences or events can be held in Beijing, Tianjin and other cities where the Olympic Games are staged, one month before or one month after the period of the 29th Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games." The Chinese government has accepted this request. Therefore, if we hold the 2008 ICGA event on the previously planned dates, our hosts might experience many difficulties, such as with visa applications, accommodation, transportation, media coverage, and the organization of a proposed computer-human competition. In the worst case the Chinese government could simply apply pressure to our host organisation to suspend our event. We have therefore agreed with our hosts that the dates for the ICGA events should be changed, to run from September 28th to October 5th 2008. Our hosts are applying to their government for formal approval of these new dates, and we shall make a further announcement when this approval has been confirmed, which we expect to be before the end of November. We would like to stress that the events themselves are not in any doubt. The ICGA has already received from China a substantial advance payment to guarantee that the events will go ahead. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but would point out that the weather in late September and early October will not be so very hot and will therefore be more conducive to tourism for our participants than the originally announced dates. David Levy [President ICGA]
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