The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced the suspension of the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) membership until June 2029 due to its operations in occupied territories of Ukraine. This decision follows the RCF’s failure to comply with a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which had mandated the cessation of activities in these areas.
FIDE’s official statement confirmed that the RCF did not meet the 90-day deadline established by CAS, which expired on June 9. As a result, FIDE’s board decided to impose a long-term suspension on the Russian organization.
Importantly, this suspension applies solely to the RCF, and individual Russian players are still permitted to compete in tournaments.
“The commission has decided to temporarily suspend the membership of the Russian Chess Federation in FIDE under the Ethical and Disciplinary Code from June 10, 2026, for a period of three years or until the CAS ruling is fulfilled,” the federation stated.
FIDE’s decision follows a series of events leading up to this point:
- In June 2024, the RCF was banned from all FIDE-sanctioned competitions for two years due to violations of the organization’s charter and ethical standards related to tournament organization. Additionally, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich received a reprimand.
- Three months later, the RCF appealed this decision and was successful; in September, FIDE’s Ethics Appeals Commission lifted the ban, replacing it with a €45,000 fine.
- The Ukrainian Chess Federation subsequently appealed to CAS, arguing that the penalty was insufficient. CAS ruled in favor of Ukraine, suspending the RCF and ordering it to cease operations in the occupied territories.
FIDE’s stance regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian players has evolved since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine:
- In March 2022, representatives from Russia and Belarus were barred from international team chess tournaments due to the invasion.
- Former Ukrainian player Sergey Karjakin, who supported the invasion, was also excluded from FIDE events. Since then, Russian and Belarusian players have only been allowed to compete in individual events under a neutral status.
- In December 2025, FIDE permitted athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate under their national flags in junior international competitions, aligning with recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- While adult players from these countries could compete under their national flags, FIDE maintained the option for them to participate in tournaments under a neutral status.
FIDE has suspended the Russian Chess Federation until 2029 due to its non-compliance with a CAS ruling regarding activities in occupied Ukrainian territories. This decision underscores ongoing tensions in international chess related to the conflict in Ukraine.