The International Chess Federation (Fide) is facing internal disruption after its president, Arkady Dvorkovich, announced he is temporarily suspending his duties due to being placed on the European Union's sanctions list. Dvorkovich, a former Russian deputy prime minister, now faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze.
The EU cited Dvorkovich's "publicly supporting the annexation of Crimea and calling occupied Ukrainian cities 'new territories' of the Russian Federation" as reasons for his inclusion on the list. The organization also pointed to his presence on the board of the Chess Federation of Russia, which has organized events in occupied parts of Ukraine.
Dvorkovich, 54, stated that he had "voluntarily suspend[ed] the exercise of [his] powers and duties," but clarified that he has not resigned. He characterized the EU sanctions as "unlawful and unfair" and asserted they were intended to prevent him from leading Fide. Ukraine has publicly welcomed the EU's decision, with a representative from the Ukrainian Chess Federation stating, "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 sanctions as a "massive diplomatic victory for Ukraine" and suggested it could significantly diminish Russia's historical influence in the world of chess, which has been utilized as a tool of soft power.
Dvorkovich was first elected Fide President in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Under his leadership, Russian national teams were banned from international chess competitions following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Ukraine and its allies have accused Fide of intensifying Russian influence within the federation, alleging a "slow takeover" through rule changes and pressure on international officials, claims that Moscow denies.
An attempt two years prior to re-admit Russian teams and officials was ultimately unsuccessful when the Fide general assembly voted to maintain sanctions against Russia and Belarus in September 2024.
Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, argued that Russia heavily invested in controlling Fide, believing chess represented intellectual superiority and served as a platform to promote favorable ideas. Dvorkovich has disputed these claims, telling the BBC that accusations of "Russian influence" are false and contradicted by Fide's diverse global governance, which includes top executives from India, Norway, Latvia, the U.S., Italy, and France. He had intended to seek re-election as Fide president in September, but his future leadership role is now uncertain amid these developments.