Viswanathan Anand steps in as FIDE interim preside...

By Rohan Gupta — 24 July 2026 — 4 min read

Dvorkovich steps aside amid sanctions

Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has voluntarily suspended his duties after being included in the European Union’s latest sanctions list. This decision follows the EU’s announcement of new sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Dvorkovich, a former deputy prime minister of Russia and adviser to the Kremlin, now faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze.

Dvorkovich stated that he views the sanctions decision as “unlawful and unfair” and intends to challenge it through all available legal avenues. He expressed confidence that justice would prevail. However, he decided to step aside to prevent the sanctions from hindering the stable functioning of FIDE, effective immediately and for as long as he remains subject to EU and Swiss laws and regulations.

The EU cited Dvorkovich’s inclusion due to his “publicly supporting the annexation of Crimea and calling occupied Ukrainian cities ‘new territories’ of the Russian Federation.” Ukraine has described this development as an “important victory.”

Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, commented on the situation, stating that individuals who advance sports in the interest of an aggressor state should not hold senior international positions. He expressed hope that Dvorkovich would no longer be involved in the chess world.

Malcolm Pein, England’s representative to FIDE, characterized the move as a significant diplomatic victory for Ukraine and an “earthquake” for the chess world. He suggested it could substantially reduce Russia’s influence in international chess, an area where the former USSR and then Russia have historically been dominant and used chess as a tool of soft power.

Getty Images FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich speaks during the 2022 FIDE Chess Candidates Tournament closing ceremony on July 5, 2022 in Madrid — Arkady Dvorkovich has overseen the chess federation during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the game Credit: bbc.com

Leadership transition at FIDE

In accordance with the FIDE Charter, the duties of the president will now be assumed by FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand, who is also the 15th World Champion. Anand will serve as interim president as long as Dvorkovich is subject to the restrictive measures imposed by Swiss and EU laws and regulations.

The FIDE Council formally accepted and ratified Dvorkovich’s decision to suspend his rights, duties, and prerogatives as president. This means Dvorkovich will not exercise responsibilities or rights provided by the FIDE Charter, specifically article 18, and other regulations while the sanctions are in force. He will not act as an “owner, holder or controller” of FIDE or its assets.

Dvorkovich was first elected as FIDE President in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His tenure has been described as one of the most turbulent periods in the game’s history. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, Russian national teams were banned from international chess competitions.

Despite these bans, Ukraine and its allies have argued that Russian influence within FIDE intensified under Dvorkovich’s leadership. Accusations of a “slow takeover” of the federation by Moscow, involving changes to internal rules and pressure on officials from other nations to vote in Russia’s favour, have been made, though Moscow denies these claims.

Two years ago, an attempt was made to officially re-admit Russian teams and officials while Dvorkovich was at the helm. However, in a crucial vote in September 2024, the FIDE General Assembly chose to maintain sanctions against Russia and its ally, Belarus.

Impact and future of FIDE

Volodymyr Kovalchuk contended that Russia invested heavily in controlling the federation, believing chess represented intellectual superiority. He suggested that through FIDE, ideas favourable to Moscow were being promoted. Dvorkovich, however, disputed these accusations, stating that claims of “Russian influence” are false and contradicted by FIDE’s governance structure.

He highlighted that FIDE is based in Switzerland and its top executives include individuals from various countries, including India, Norway, Latvia, the US, Italy, and France. Dvorkovich had intended to seek re-election as FIDE head in September, but his future in the role is now uncertain.

The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has welcomed Anand’s new role. Nitin Narang, AICF President, expressed confidence in Anand’s leadership, noting his respect within the global chess community for his integrity, wisdom, and service to the sport. Narang believes that under Anand’s stewardship, FIDE will maintain stability, good governance, and its commitment to players and federations worldwide.

The EU’s 21st sanctions package targets 170 entities and 48 individuals with measures that include potential asset freezes and travel bans. Despite the change in leadership, FIDE has confirmed that its activities, tournaments, and social programmes will continue without interruption. The FIDE presidential election at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand will proceed as scheduled.

India has also announced its squads for the FIDE Chess Olympiad, which will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 17 to 27.

Source: bbc.com