CAS Orders Russian Chess Federation to Halt Activities in Occupied Ukraine or Face Suspension

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has delivered a critical ruling requiring Russia's chess federation to cease activities in Ukrainian regions under Russian control within 90 days or face suspension for up to three years. This decision intensifies the consequences of a prolonged dispute initiated by the Ukrainian Chess Federation.

An earlier sanction of EUR 45,000 imposed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has been replaced with a tougher penalty. FIDE is now engaging with Swiss legal experts and its Constitutional Commission to align with CAS's directive. FIDE stands firm in honoring CAS's decision and adhering to its own charter's stipulations.

CAS's findings affirm that Russia violated FIDE rules by organizing chess events in areas recognized as Ukrainian, including Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. This conduct breaches the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, crucial to international chess governance.