EU sanctions FIDE president Dvorkovich; he steps aside amid controversy
The president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Arkady Dvorkovich, has said he is temporarily stepping aside from his duties after being added to the European Union's latest sanctions list. The EU cited his support for Russia's annexation of Crimea and his role in organising chess tournaments in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Dvorkovich, a former deputy prime minister of Russia and an adviser to the Kremlin, now faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze. In a statement, he said he had decided to 'voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties' but told the BBC he had not resigned. He called the sanctions decision 'unlawful and unfair' and said they were meant to prevent him from running for re-election as FIDE president in September.
The sanctions have been welcomed by Ukraine. Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, said: 'We hope never to see this man in the chess world again. People who develop sport in the interests of an aggressor state have no place in senior international positions.' Malcolm Pein, England's representative to FIDE, described the move as 'an earthquake and a massive diplomatic victory for Ukraine'.
Dvorkovich was first elected FIDE president in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. During his tenure, Russian national teams were banned from international chess competitions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Ukraine and its allies have accused Russia of a 'slow takeover' of FIDE, changing internal rules and pressuring officials to vote in Russia's favour. Dvorkovich has denied these accusations, noting that FIDE's top executives come from many countries, including India, Norway, Latvia, the US, Italy, and France.
The sanctions add uncertainty to Dvorkovich's plans to seek re-election in September. His possible departure could mark a significant shift in the leadership of international chess, which has seen growing popularity and commercial success in recent years.
