FIDE General Assembly refused to lift sanctions on Russia and Belarus

FIDE's leadership will approach the Olympic Committee about potentially relaxing sanctions for Russian and Belarusian chess players under 12 and those with disabilities, following a vote at its General Assembly

Sep 23, 2024 - 18:00

FIDE

The General Assembly of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) rejected a proposal to fully lift restrictions on Russian and Belarusian chess players’ participation in competitions.

After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, FIDE, like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the vast majority of international sports federations, imposed restrictions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in competitions.

According to Radio Liberty, the assembly, held in Budapest, instead adopted a proposal from the FIDE Council to approach the IOC regarding the possibility of easing restrictions for certain categories of athletes from Russia and Belarus, including children under 12 and disabled individuals.

Currently, chess players from Russia and Belarus can compete in tournaments individually under the FIDE flag. However, national teams remain barred from competitions, including the ongoing Chess Olympiad in Budapest.

According to the report, the Kyrgyzstan Federation proposed completely lifting all restrictions. This move faced opposition from several quarters, including the Ukrainian authorities, the US State Department, and Magnus Carlsen, described as “the strongest chess player in the world, ex-champion.”

After voting, some 21 countries voted to lift the restrictions, 41 were against easing sanctions, and the majority – 66 – supported the FIDE Council’s proposal.

FIDE is currently led by Russian Arkady Dvorkovich, a former aide to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and deputy prime minister.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Dvorkovich told American magazine Mother Jones that he condemned “any war, including this one” and that he was “thinking about Ukrainian civilians, including many players who are in danger and cannot participate in competitions or even think about chess during the war.”

Russian grandmasters have expressed varying opinions on the war, with some like Sergey Karjakin, recently appointed as a senator from annexed Crimea, supporting the invasion, while others like Ian Nepomniachtchi have spoken out against it.

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