The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has decided to temporarily suspend Russia's membership after Russia failed to meet a 90-day deadline set by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in March. The CAS ruling required Russia to relinquish control over chess organizations in five Ukrainian regions: Crimea (annexed in 2014), Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
According to FIDE, Russia did not comply with the demand, leading to the imposition of the temporary sanction. The Ukrainian Chess Federation hailed the decision as a 'historic victory'.
Meanwhile, adult Russian players can still participate in FIDE tournaments but under a neutral flag, without the Russian flag. Only child players are allowed to compete under the Russian flag. In team events, Russia may compete as neutrals but will await further decisions from FIDE.
Andrei Filatov, the head of the Russian Chess Federation, said lawyers are reviewing the decision and may appeal.
The decision carries deep symbolic weight for Russia, a country with a long chess tradition that dominated the world from 1927 to 2007. However, the era of grandmasters like Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov has passed. Currently, only one Russian player ranks in the world's top 20.
FIDE's move contrasts with the recent trend of international sports organizations beginning to lift restrictions on Russian athletes, such as in swimming, fencing, and judo.
