Mind Sports South Africa discusses areas of mutual agreement with the Russian Draughts Federation.

Anatoly Nikitin (President of Russian Draughts Federation and head of FMJD 64-section)

During a 'whistle-stop' visit to South Africa by Mr. Anatoly Nikitin (President of Russian Draughts Federation and head of FMJD 64-section), a meeting was held between the Russian Draughts Federation and MSSA to establish closer working ties.

While MSSA ranks among the first countries to have obtained National Olympic Committee approval for Draughts, MSSA's numbers of participants do not nearly match the number of people participating in the Russian Draughts Federation's events. The Russian Draughts Federation can boast of participants  in the hundreds of thousands.

There is no doubt that Russia is currently a leading force in the game of draughts.

In the meeting, the MSSA and the Russian Draughts Federation examined the following:

• Development in terms of grass-root support,
• Development in schools,
• Introduction of 'Russian Draughts' rules
• Closer sharing of good-practice, and
• General discussion of where the two bodies could work closer for the benefit of draughts.

MSSA is highly confident that through the meeting, a new understanding, and mutual friendship, between the two bodies has been created and that draughts will be lifted to even greater heights.