Moscow, Dec. 15 – Russia applauds the decision of the General Assembly of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) regarding the admission of Russian chess players to international competitions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declared today.
The president of the board of directors of the Russian Chess Federation also told the press on Monday that Moscow appreciated the decision made by the General Assembly, which was adopted as a result of a vote.
“We welcome the decision of the General Assembly of the International Chess Federation to admit our athletes and teams to participate in international competitions under the flag and with the anthem,” Peskov emphasized.
During a meeting of the FIDE General Assembly held on Sunday via videoconference, 61 delegates voted in favor of lifting all restrictions against Russian chess players, while 51 opposed.
Subsequently, the majority of those surveyed voted in favor of allowing Russians to participate in all competitions under a neutral flag.
The Kremlin spokesperson highlighted that this is “the most appropriate step on the path toward the depoliticization of sport” and expressed hope that FIDE will definitively approve this decision.
“Any other interpretation of the fair vote will only cause our disappointment,” said the spokesperson for the Russian president.
Recently, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich noted that the final decision on the admission of Russian chess players to international tournaments was postponed due to the need for legal consultations.
After Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, FIDE suspended Russian chess players from team tournaments.
However, in January 2025, youth and Paralympic teams from Russia were readmitted by FIDE in a neutral status.
Also, the Russian women's team received the green light in July 2025 to participate in the World Cup under the FIDE flag.
