Russia remains suspended from the Chess Olympiad
The suspension remains in place
Russian media report that the Russian Chess Federation’s application for permission to enter its teams in the forthcoming Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (15–27 September), has been rejected by the FIDE Council.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian teams were excluded from the vast majority of international sporting events on the recommendation of the IOC. Russian athletes, however, were allowed to compete internationally under a neutral flag.
The World Chess Federation, FIDE, followed the IOC’s recommendations. As a result, the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai and the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest were held without Russian teams. Since 2022, however, the Russian Chess Federation has repeatedly sought to have FIDE’s decision relaxed, with some success.
FIDE allowed Russian teams to take part in junior team events in January 2025 and in team competitions for people with disabilities. A team of Russian women was also permitted to compete in the 2025 Women’s World Team Championship.
In July 2026, however, FIDE temporarily suspended the Russian Chess Federation because Russia was unlawfully organising chess tournaments in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
On Monday, the FIDE Council considered the Russian Chess Federation’s application for its teams to take part in the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand and rejected it.
According to Alexander Tkachev, the executive director of the Russian Chess Federation, speaking in an interview with TASS, the proposal to reject the application came from Viswanathan Anand. A majority of the 14 council members supported the proposal.
After the EU placed Arkady Dvorkovich on its sanctions list, Dvorkovich stepped aside from his duties as FIDE President. As FIDE Deputy President, Anand is serving as acting head of the World Chess Federation until the elections in September.
Russian sporting organisations are also seeking the reinstatement of their teams and athletes in international competition in other sports federations and within the IOC. In July, the IOC lifted its recommendation to suspend Russian teams, a decision that Ukraine has challenged before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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