FIDE President Steps Aside Following EU Sanctions Imposed on Russia-linked Official

The international chess community faces significant upheaval following the announcement that Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), is suspending his duties after being added to the European Union’s latest sanctions list.

Dvorkovich, 54, a former Russian deputy prime minister and Kremlin adviser, is currently facing an EU asset freeze and travel ban.

The EU cited his support for the annexation of Crimea and his characterization of occupied Ukrainian cities as “new territories” of the Russian Federation as the basis for his inclusion.

In a recent statement, Dvorkovich announced he would “voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties,” though he clarified to the BBC that he has not resigned from his position.

He dismissed the sanctions as “unlawful and unfair,” suggesting the move is intended to obstruct his ability to serve FIDE.

The Ukrainian government has described the sanctions as a significant victory.

Dvorkovich was first elected as FIDE President in 2018 and secured re-election in 2022.

The EU also pointed to his role on the board of the Chess Federation of Russia, which has organized tournaments within occupied Ukrainian territories.

Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, stated that individuals who use sports to serve an aggressor state have no place in international leadership, adding that they hope to never see Dvorkovich in the chess world again.

Malcolm Pein, England’s representative to FIDE, characterized the development as an “earthquake” and a major diplomatic win for Ukraine.

Pein told the BBC that the move could diminish Russia’s historical use of chess as a tool of soft power—a dominance the nation has maintained since the end of the Second World War.

Dvorkovich’s tenure has coincided with one of the most volatile periods in the history of the game.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine several years ago, Russian national teams were prohibited from competing in international chess events.

However, Ukraine and various allies have accused Dvorkovich’s administration of allowing Russian influence within FIDE to expand.

Moscow has been accused of attempting a “slow takeover” of the organization by altering internal regulations and pressuring officials to vote in Russia’s favor, allegations which Moscow denies.

While an attempt was made under Dvorkovich’s leadership to re-admit Russian officials and teams, the FIDE general assembly voted in September 2024 to maintain sanctions against Russia and Belarus.

Kovalchuk argued that Russia has heavily invested in controlling the federation to promote ideologies favorable to Moscow by leveraging the game’s image of intellectual superiority.

Dvorkovich countered these claims in a written response to the BBC, stating that accusations of Russian influence are false and pointing to the diverse, international makeup of FIDE’s executive leadership, which includes officials from India, Norway, the US, and several other nations.

As chess experiences a global boom—driven by high viewership and celebrity stars like Magnus Carlsen—the potential departure of such a polarizing figure may signal a major transition in the leadership of the sport.

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