Chess | Russia is being forced back into competitive activities – a strong objection from the Finnish federation

International the chess federation (Fide) is gathering these days for a general assembly in Budapest, where the chess olympics are currently competing. There is an item on the agenda of the meeting that has caused astonishment, especially in the Nordic countries.

The Kyrgyz Chess Federation has made an initiative to lift the restrictions on Russian and Belarusian chess federations. Currently, Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to compete in international events, but without country codes. According to Kyrgyzstan’s motion, the restrictions were imposed by the wrong body and should be lifted.

Provided Kyrgyzstan’s performance goes through, the Russian flag is seen again in the chess competitions and the country’s national anthem is heard. The Kyrgyz proposal has been sent to those attending the General Assembly, but it has not been published.

Norwegian newspaper Nettavinen has seen the letter and interviewed the new president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation about it Oleksandr Kamyshiniawho vehemently opposes reaching out to the country that started the war of aggression.

“Every day we lose people on the front lines as a result of Russian attacks. That’s why we need to become stronger and wiser. Here, chess is an excellent tool”, Kamyshin says For Nettavisen.

Kamyshin has served as Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine since 2023 and is one of the presidents to Volodymyr Zelensky of advisers.

“At least 21 Ukrainian chess players have died and at least two are missing during the Russian attack,” says Kamyshin.

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The Russian flag is a blood flag and we don’t need it in the civilized world.

The Chess Olympics are currently underway in Budapest. Picture: EPA / AOP

Kamyshin’s I think it would be outrageous if the flags of Russia and Belarus were flying at the competition venues.

“The Russian flag is a flag of blood, and we don’t need it in the civilized world.”

Nettavinen is also the vice president of the Norwegian Chess Federation Jon Kristian Haarria. According to him, since the beginning of the war of aggression, the Norwegian Federation has had a strict stance on the participation of Russians in international competitive activities.

The line is still the same.

“But unfortunately, the chess world, i.e. Fide, is controlled by the Russians. The chairman is Russian and so are the vast majority of employees,” says Haarr.

President of Fide Arkady Dvorkovitch is a former deputy prime minister and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev a close ally.

Haarrin also the other Nordic countries are on the same line as Norway.

The board of the Finnish Chess Federation discussed the issue on August 31 and ended up opposing the Kyrgyz’s hook. In the government bulletin, the matter was summarized in the following form.

“Let’s oppose the initiative of the Kyrgyz Chess Federation to lift the restrictions on the chess federations of Russia and Belarus. In general, there is opposition to initiatives to ease the restrictions on the above-mentioned federations and to participate in the joint statement of the Nordic Chess Federation or the European Chess Federation on the matter, if one is drawn up.”

Chairman Eetu Tiiva confirmed the matter from Budapest.

“Finland’s strict line holds,” says Tiiva.

He thinks the Europeans are of the same opinion.

“It is more difficult to assess the position of countries on other continents.”