English Chess Forum

Vote at FIDE Congress lifting sanctions against the Russian Chess Federation

The ECF condemns the conduct of the FIDE Congress staged online last Sunday.

There were multiple abuses of process, not least, conducting the vote on Russian teams in secret was unconstitutional and in contravention of the FIDE Charter. The FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, a former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, who chaired the meeting, effectively acted as a tool of the Russian state. Mr Dvorkovich refused to allow a debate or a vote on the motion proposed by the ECF.

The ECF notes:

Neither motion in favour of restoring Russian teams to FIDE competitions received a majority of the 141 delegates registered to vote at the meeting.

The two motions voted on were contradictory. Both motions contradicted IOC policy as reiterated by the IOC as recently as last Thursday at the link below.

FIDE stands with only five other sports federations out of 108 in easing sanctions on Russian teams.

The ECF reaffirms:

The ECF will not host FIDE events with Russian teams until the IOC changes its policy.

As per IOC recommendations, Russian players will continue not to be allowed to compete under the Russian flag at ECF events.


Malcolm Pein
Director of International Chess and External Relations.

Dominic Lawson
President

https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/olymp ... terference

Dvorkovich helping Russia out by hook or by crook - who could ever have seen that one coming.

I fully agree with Malcolm pein on this one, in fact the ecf should go one further and refuse to require us to pay for gold membership for fide rated games - that would hit them in the wallet where they will actually take notice, because just being criticised for corruption and pedantic rules is just like water off a ducks back to fide at this point

Joey Stewart wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 19, 2025 5:50 pm

I fully agree with Malcolm pein on this one, in fact the ecf should go one further and refuse to require us to pay for gold membership for fide rated games - that would hit them in the wallet where they will actually take notice, because just being criticised for corruption and pedantic rules is just like water off a ducks back to fide at this point

AFAIK, (I could be wrong) when Gold membership is paid for, the income goes to the ECF (only) and results are then submitted to FIDE for rating and FIDE does not charge to rate them.

As usual, please correct my deluded notions.

Joey Stewart wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 19, 2025 5:50 pm

I fully agree with Malcolm pein on this one, in fact the ecf should go one further and refuse to require us to pay for gold membership for fide rated games - that would hit them in the wallet where they will actually take notice

If you think the extra cost of Gold membership goes to FIDE, you are mistaken. The ECF pockets it. FIDE charges something like 1 Euro per player per tournament for inclusion on the standard list. I think it's still nothing for the Rapid and Blitz lists.

If what is claimed in the original post is remotely correct, I find it hard to see this surviving a proper challenge anyway.

It sounds like boycotting the gold ecf membership now has double the value, not only are you standing against fide events but also against the ecf for profiteering from players desperation to have the international rating

FIDE taken to the CAS by 5 federations, one of which is the ECF.

The thought of chess organisations taking legal action against other chess organisations will be repulsive to many ordinary chessplayers. I would never want to be a member. Gens una sumus, and all that ...

Ian Thompson wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 07, 2026 10:11 am

FIDE taken to the CAS by 5 federations, one of which is the ECF.

I wonder whether a financial safety net has been organised this time. The minutes of the board meeting where this decision was taken should be interesting.

John Townsend wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 07, 2026 10:38 am

The thought of chess organisations taking legal action against other chess organisations will be repulsive to many ordinary chessplayers. I would never want to be a member.

It's unlikely that individual ECF members, still less ordinary chess players, will be asked for an opinion. At least this time round it's out in the open. Last time the ECF did this, it went past two meetings of the ECF Council before being made public and then only by the other side.

When Chess Scotland was given 24 hours to also sign there was an assurance that, while a donation to legal costs would be welcome, there was no need to contribute financially. CS Exec decided that, although sympathetic, the time scale did not allow for sufficient consultation.

"Gens una sumus, and all that ..."

When Murray Chandler produced "Not the British Chess Magazine" many years ago, he made the motto, "Non Campos Mentis", and it seems fair to say FIDE are more or less honouring that variant.

Ian Thompson wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 07, 2026 10:11 am

FIDE taken to the CAS by 5 federations, one of which is the ECF.

https://dnkjuhc6if10z.cloudfront.net/fi ... 8eRWdqx5Ug

One has to wonder about the communications skills of some of the various representatives in this dispute, considering that this hasn't been resolved. I have no-one specifically in mind. Legal action is now being contemplated, which seems excessive and makes a mockery of FIDE's motto: Gens una sumus.

Years ago, on a management training course, I learned about "tellers" (people who tell others what to do and are inflexible) and "persuaders" (who achieve their goals more often). I suspect chessplayers tend to belong to the former category, though that isn't necessarily the difficulty in this case.

How is the legal action being funded by the ECF? Does it come from members' subscriptions? If so, how do they feel about this?