Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has suspended his powers after being placed on the EU’s latest sanctions list. The EU’s 21st sanctions package, published Thursday, targets 48 individuals over alleged support for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
Dvorkovich called the decision “unlawful and unfair” in a statement on the FIDE website, pledging to challenge it “by all possible means.” To avoid disrupting FIDE’s operations, he voluntarily suspended his powers until the sanctions are lifted or overturned in court.
First Vice President Viswanathan Anand will assume presidential duties, ratified by the FIDE Council. Experts note Dvorkovich technically remains president since he has not resigned. However, the sanctions could complicate his plans to seek a third term in September.
FIDE is registered in Switzerland, where sanctioned individuals cannot control organization assets, risking compliance issues with bank accounts and sponsorships. A similar situation occurred in 2015 when US sanctions on then-President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov led to years of banking disputes.
Article and image source: russiaherald.com
