Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia (left) and Magnus Carlsen of Norway talk after Carlsen won the FIDE World Championship in 2021. FIDE has banned competitions in Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Jon Gambrell/AP
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Jon Gambrell/AP
Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia (left) and Magnus Carlsen of Norway talk after Carlsen won the FIDE World Championship in 2021. FIDE has banned competitions in Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Jon Gambrell/AP
As Russia pushes forward with its invasion of Ukraine, the International Chess Federation — which ranks more than 20 Russian athletes in in its top 100 — banned tournaments in Russia and Belarus, a close Russian ally that has supported the invasion.
The action is among several taken by sports organizations against Russia in the wake of the invasion.
The chess federation, known as FIDE, said it stands against war and condemns using military weapons to solve political conflict. The organization said in a news release it would take “any necessary action to ensure the security of chess players and other members of the chess community.”
In addition to restrictions on tournament location, the federation also barred the Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems from FIDE chess events. FIDE also said it terminated sponsorship agreements with state-controlled Belarusian and Russian companies.
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