FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich resigns after EU sanctions

Arkady Dvorkovich has suspended his duties as president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after being included in the European Union's latest sanctions against Russia. The decision comes after eight years in the role.

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I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and functions as President of FIDE with immediate effect and for the duration that I remain subject to sanctions under the laws and regulations of the EU and Switzerland.

Dvorkovich, 54, stated that he is voluntarily and temporarily suspending his executive functions to prevent FIDE's financial assets from being blocked. "I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and functions as President of FIDE with immediate effect and for the duration that I remain subject to sanctions under the laws and regulations of the EU and Switzerland," the economist said in a statement released on FIDE's website.

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The Russian Chess Federation was declared guilty by the Ethics Commission of having significantly damaged the reputation of FIDE, among other things for organizing tournaments in the zones of Ukraine occupied by Russia, violating international law.

The sanctions against Dvorkovich and his subsequent decision to suspend his presidency occur amid high tension within the international chess body. The FIDE Ethics Commission had previously suspended the membership of the Russian Chess Federation for two years in June, following a resolution from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Russian Chess Federation was found to have significantly damaged FIDE's reputation, partly by organizing tournaments in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, which violates international law.

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The sanctions against Dvorkovich and his decision to suspend his presidency occur amid high tension within the international chess body.

In his statement, Dvorkovich, a former assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, denounced the sanctions as "illegal and unjust" and indicated his intention to challenge them through all available legal means. According to FIDE Statutes, the duties of the president will be temporarily assumed by the vice president, Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. This administrative shift, led by the five-time world champion Anand, significantly alters the landscape for the upcoming FIDE presidential elections.

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The Russian Chess Federation was declared guilty by the Ethics Commission of having significantly damaged the reputation of FIDE, among other things for organizing tournaments in the zones of Ukraine occupied by Russia, violating international law.