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.
