Kasparov Says Book Axed Over Anti-Kremlin Stance

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has accused his Russian publisher of axing publication of his self-help book.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has accused his Russian publisher of axing publication of his self-help book because of his outspoken opposition to President Vladimir Putin.

The book, called "How Life Imitates Chess", has already been published in Britain and elsewhere and was due to come out in Russian this year until the Eksmo publishing house announced it was delaying publication.

"It is obvious that someone wants to deny the opposition any channel for communicating with Russian citizens," Kasparov, who was briefly detained this year for taking part in a banned opposition rally in Moscow, said in a statement.

"They have already confiscated the print runs of our newspapers and our leaflets and now they have got to our books as well. I would not be surprised if my book ... is not only not published in Russia but is also declared extremist."

Kasparov, acknowledged by most observers as the world's most successful chess player, has retired from competitive sport. He is now one of the leaders of an anti-Kremlin coalition that accuses Putin of crushing democratic freedoms.

Eksmo said publication had been pushed back because Kasparov's contract for the book, signed over three years ago, had lapsed and he had failed to sign a new one.

"We find it hard to understand why ... a simple technical issue has prompted a desire to find some kind of political subtext," the publisher said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"We do not want to think that he is simply using this to attract attention," to his political campaign, it said.

Putin's opponents have been starved of coverage by some parts of the media, especially the Kremlin-controlled national television stations. But the publishing industry has been largely unaffected.

Kasparov's book is aimed at business executives and draws on his experience in the chess world to give advice on how to achieve success in business.

Despite his international celebrity, Kasparov is a marginal figure in Russian politics. Opinion polls show the majority of voters support Putin, whom they credit with bringing economic growth and political stability.