FIDE Suspends Russia For Up To Three Years Over Tournaments In Occupied Ukrainian Territories

Last Updated:June 11, 2026, 15:49 IST

FIDE has suspended Russia's chess federation for up to three years after it failed to comply with a CAS ruling over tournaments held in occupied Ukrainian territories.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has provisionally suspended the Chess Federation of Russia (CFR) for up to three years.

The decision comes after Russian officials failed to comply with a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ordered the federation to stop organizing and supporting chess events in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine.

In a statement released on Wednesday, FIDE confirmed that the suspension takes immediate effect.

“The Council resolves to impose the sanction of temporary suspension of membership of the respective Member Federation (Russia) with immediate effect," FIDE said.

The ruling marks a major victory for Ukraine and several allied chess federations that have spent years pushing international sporting bodies to adopt a tougher stance against Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Why Russia Was Suspended

The dispute centers on chess activities held in Crimea and the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, territories that Russia either occupies or claims to have annexed.

Last year, the Ukrainian Chess Federation filed complaints alleging that the CFR continued to accredit and organize chess activities in those regions.

FIDE initially responded by imposing a two-year suspension before replacing it with a €45,000 fine. Ukraine appealed the decision, arguing that the punishment was insufficient.

In March, CAS agreed and ordered Russia to cease its activities in the disputed territories within 90 days or face suspension from FIDE membership.

According to FIDE, that deadline has now expired without compliance.

The CFR had previously maintained that it operates according to Russian law and rejected the requirement to halt activities in the territories.

What Happens Next?

The suspension means Russian teams will no longer be able to participate in international team competitions under the banner of the Russian Chess Federation.

However, individual Russian players will still be allowed to compete in FIDE events, preserving opportunities for many of the country’s elite grandmasters.

The suspension will remain in place for up to three years or until the Russian federation complies with the CAS ruling.

The decision comes despite FIDE allowing Russian athletes to compete under their national flag as recently as December 2025, highlighting the growing tensions between governance, geopolitics and international sport.

The dispute remains ongoing. Earlier this month, the CFR filed its own complaint with FIDE’s Ethics Commission against Ukrainian Chess Federation president Oleksandr Kamyshin, seeking his removal over comments it described as hostile toward Russia.

(with Reuters inputs)

About the Author

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

News sports chess FIDE Suspends Russia For Up To Three Years Over Tournaments In Occupied Ukrainian Territories

Read More