Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has assumed the role of interim president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after president Arkady Dvorkovich voluntarily suspended his authority following his inclusion in the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia.
Dvorkovich announced the decision in a statement published by FIDE, describing the sanctions as "unlawful and unfair" and saying he would challenge them through all available legal means.
“However, given that until a formal court decision is rendered and/or such decision is cancelled or amended, these sanctions could hinder the stable functioning of FIDE, I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties as FIDE President with immediate effect,” he said.
Under the FIDE Charter, Anand, the federation’s deputy president and the 15th World Chess Champion, will assume the president’s responsibilities for as long as the sanctions remain in effect. Dvorkovich remains FIDE president in title but has transferred the powers and duties attached to the office.
The decision follows the European Union’s inclusion of Dvorkovich in its 21st sanctions package targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine. The EU accused the former Russian deputy prime minister of “using his position as FIDE president to support Russian policies undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity” and cited his previous senior government roles, public statements, and membership on the Russian Chess Federation’s Board of Trustees.
Dvorkovich had previously avoided EU sanctions after Hungary blocked earlier proposals to add him to the sanctions list. However, following the change of government in Budapest earlier this year, that opposition was no longer maintained, allowing his inclusion in the latest package.
The sanctions include an asset freeze and a ban on entering or transiting through the European Union, creating practical challenges for Dvorkovich in carrying out his duties at a federation that stages many of its events across Europe.
Anand, one of the most respected figures in chess, won the world championship five times between 2000 and 2012 and became India’s first undisputed world champion. Widely credited with helping transform chess in India, he has served as FIDE deputy president since 2022.
The leadership change comes just months before FIDE members elect a president at the federation’s General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, at the end of September. Dvorkovich is seeking another term after delegates voted in 2023 to remove the previous two-term limit for FIDE presidents.
He is expected to face challengers, including German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner and Wadim Rosenstein. The nomination deadline for candidates is July 26, leaving Dvorkovich’s team to determine whether his presidential ticket will be amended in light of the sanctions.
