International Chess Federation president steps aside after EU sanctions
Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has announced he is stepping aside from his role after being included on the European Union’s latest sanctions list. The sanctions are linked to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Dvorkovich, a former deputy prime minister of Russia, now faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze.
He described the sanctions decision as “unlawful and unfair” and stated his intention to challenge it through legal means. However, he decided to voluntarily suspend his duties to ensure the stable functioning of FIDE while the sanctions remain in effect under EU and Swiss laws.
Interim Leadership for FIDE
Following Dvorkovich’s decision, FIDE Deputy President and former world champion Viswanathan Anand will assume the role of Interim President. This transition is in accordance with Article 19.2 of the FIDE Charter. The FIDE Council has accepted and ratified Dvorkovich’s decision, confirming that he will not exercise any presidential powers or control over the federation or its assets during the sanction period.
The EU indicated that Dvorkovich’s inclusion on the sanctions list was due to his “publicly supporting the annexation of Crimea and calling occupied Ukrainian cities ‘new territories’ of the Russian Federation.” Ukraine has welcomed the move, with Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, stating that individuals who advance sports in the interests of an aggressor state should not hold senior international positions.
Malcolm Pein, England’s representative to FIDE, characterized the development as “an earthquake and a massive diplomatic victory for Ukraine.” He suggested that it could significantly reduce Russia’s influence in the global chess community, an area where Russia has historically held considerable sway.
Impact on Global Chess
Dvorkovich was first elected as FIDE President in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His tenure has been marked by turbulent periods for the game, particularly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which led to the banning of Russian national teams from international chess competitions.
Despite these bans, Ukraine and its allies have argued that Russian influence within FIDE intensified under Dvorkovich’s leadership. Accusations of a “slow takeover” of the federation, including changes to internal rules and pressure on officials to vote in Russia’s favour, have been made, though Moscow denies these claims.
Two years ago, an attempt was made to re-admit Russian teams and officials. However, a vote in September 2024 opted to maintain sanctions against Russia and its ally, Belarus. Volodymyr Kovalchuk asserted that Russia invested heavily in controlling the federation, believing chess represented intellectual superiority and that FIDE was used to promote ideas favourable to Moscow.
Dvorkovich has disputed these accusations, stating that claims of “Russian influence” are false and contradicted by FIDE’s governance structure. He noted that FIDE is based in Switzerland and its top executives include individuals from various countries globally.
The FIDE presidential election is scheduled to proceed as planned. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) President Nitin Narang expressed confidence in Anand’s leadership, highlighting his integrity, wisdom, and service to the sport. He believes that under Anand’s stewardship, FIDE will maintain stability and good governance.
The EU’s 21st sanctions package includes measures such as possible asset freezes and travel bans for 170 entities and 48 individuals. Despite the change in leadership, FIDE has affirmed that its activities, tournaments, and social programmes will continue without interruption. India has also announced its squads for the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which is scheduled to be held from September 17 to 27.
Source: bbc.com
