The Swiss-based FIDE has been accused of dragging out Russia’s suspension after the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international tribunal, in April ruled that Russia should be expelled.
Nikolaj Nielsen
Russia was suspended from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) this week due to its operational ties to the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The decision follows separate threats to slap EU sanctions on Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian head of FIDE, who has supported Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The Swiss-based FIDE has been accused of dragging out the suspension, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international tribunal, in April ruled that Russia had to be ousted.
The court had ordered FIDE to suspend the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) for three years by midnight on 9 June. It did nothing.
But news that Dvorkovich could end up on an EU sanctions list hastened FIDE’s decision, says George Mastrokoukos, a Greek international chess master and commentator.
Mastrokoukos says FIDE had initially sought to discuss the issue with Russia on 17 June. But an EUobserver article about possible EU sanctions against Dvorkovich on Wednesday morning (10 June) caused panic within FIDE ranks, he said.
“Andrew [Rettman]’s article about the EU sanctions made them accelerate this,” he said, noting that Dvorkovich had called an emergency WhatsApp meeting the very same day and then ousted Russia as demanded by the court.
Volodymyr Kovalchuk, who heads the Ukrainian Chess Federation, also suspects the decision was hastened by the sanctions threat.
