Former FIDE presidential candidate Rosenstein responded to accusations of circumventing sanctions

German businessman Vadim Rosenstein, who ran for president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), denied allegations of ties to the Russian authorities and sanctions evasion, and also revealed details of the dirty election campaign and scandalous election for the federation's president, in which Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, "appeared" on the team of newly elected FIDE President Timur Turlov, reports Apostrophe.

On allegations of ties to Russia and pressure during the election

According to the businessman, he was threatened and pressured to withdraw his candidacy throughout the election campaign. He called it one of the dirtiest campaigns in FIDE's history and emphasized that his sole main goal was and remains the popularization of chess.

"Throughout the election period, I was blackmailed and threatened with the imposition of Ukrainian sanctions, with demands that I withdraw my candidacy. I am not a politician. I am a businessman and a person wholly devoted to chess. There is only one thing that interests me in this entire process—the popularization of chess!" Rosenstein said.

He also drew attention to the dirty campaign against him in the Ukrainian media, where accusations were made against him. According to him, journalists did not contact him for comment before publishing the materials, and later similar claims appeared in paid publications in English-language outlets.

The businessman categorically denied allegations of sanctions evasion and the supply of military-use products. He maintains that the publications cite no specific deals, goods, or entries on sanctions lists that could confirm such claims.

"Not a single publication names any specific deal, product, or sanctions-list entry. […] This is primitive manipulation and a substitution of facts," he emphasized.

Rosenstein separately denied claims that he was allegedly an agent of Russian influence. He said that he had never received or carried out instructions from the Russian authorities, and that his candidacy in the election was supported by the German Chess Federation.

The businessman also recalled that he had publicly advocated the immediate implementation of the decisions of the Court of Arbitration for Sport concerning the Chess Federation of Russia. At the same time, the Russian federation did not participate in the voting in the FIDE presidential election because its membership had been suspended.

Rosenstein also denied allegations related to the Russian company "VR Rus." According to him, he does not participate in its management and does not receive dividends. The company is managed by an external administrator, while, as the businessman claims, withdrawing from it requires permission from a government commission of the Russian Federation.

He also stated that WR Group had banned doing business with Russia, and that the group's companies do not enter into contracts with Russian counterparties. Previously signed agreements, he said, were fulfilled in accordance with EU legislation.

Commenting on information about the import of Italian footwear into Russia, Rosenstein called it an independent commercial operation by the Russian company, to which the German entities of WR Group have no connection.

He also denied reports of alleged supplies to the Russian company "NOVATEK."

"All orders received by the group's companies came from European partners, and they provided logistics services to those partners; I have already published evidence of this. And most importantly, all of this concerns events from 2019–2021, yet it is presented as if it were happening right now. At that time, these supplies complied with the applicable legislation, and they were discontinued in 2021. I am not personally acquainted with the owners of these companies," he added.

Rosenstein emphasized that his business operates in more than 70 markets worldwide, but, in his view, the publications focused exclusively on the Russian direction.

On refusing to recognize the results of the FIDE election

Commenting on the results of the FIDE presidential election, held on September 26 in Samarkand (Timur Turlov defeated Rosenstein in the second round by a score of 110 to 85), and the composition of the federation's new leadership, Rosenstein said that he did not recognize them.

"I do not recognize the election results, as I believe that Turlov and Payne violated Article 9.7 of the FIDE electoral regulations, which clearly prohibits candidates from actions, cooperation, or collusion with the intent to deceive or manipulate the outcome of the vote. I filed complaints with the Ethics Commission. Moreover, regardless of the outcome of the consideration of my complaints, I am certain that American and European sanctions will soon be imposed on Turlov," he says. "Therefore, I am convinced that new elections for the FIDE presidency will be held in the near future."

According to Rosenstein, he filed the relevant complaints with the Ethics Commission, and American and European sanctions could be imposed on Turlov. The entrepreneur also expressed his conviction that the federation would soon face new presidential elections.

The dispute surrounding Mykhailo Podolyak and Ukraine's representation in FIDE

Rosenstein separately commented on the scandal that erupted over the participation of Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, in the team of FIDE President-elect Timur Turlov.

As is known, in September, Podolyak accepted an invitation to join his team, which prompted objections from the Chess Federation of Ukraine (CFU). The Ukrainian federation stated that it had not authorized Podolyak to represent its interests in FIDE. In addition, the CFU challenged the federation's decision to assign Podolyak an identification code under the Ukrainian flag, claiming that this had been done despite its objections.

On October 23, the board of the European Chess Union (ECU), at a meeting in Budva, unanimously supported the position of the CFU. The European and Ukrainian federations stated their intention to submit a joint protest against the decision of the FIDE General Assembly and seek its annulment.

"It is a disgrace that FIDE is now run by Turlov and Podolyak, who have absolutely no ability to play chess. I am ready to sit down at the board with either of them at any moment and show who they really are," Rosenstein said.

Against the backdrop of this dispute, Rosenstein criticized FIDE's new leadership, saying that Turlov had retained the influence of the team of the federation's former president, Arkady Dvorkovich. He drew attention to the fact that Viswanathan Anand, who had previously held a similar position under Dvorkovich, became the federation's vice president.

"Today, after the elections, we can clearly see: Turlov has fully retained Dvorkovich's team and influence," Rosenstein says.

As for the attacks and pressure against him, Rosenstein called them a commissioned campaign carried out by a well-known Ukrainian media figure, who had also undertaken, for money, to have the sanctions against Turlov lifted.

"I was born in Ukraine, in the Zhytomyr region, into a Jewish family; I am a citizen of Germany," he says. "And for reasons incomprehensible to me, it is precisely in Ukraine that I am being smeared, while some people, on the contrary, praise Turlov, who was born in Moscow and continues to actively conduct business there, despite the fact that Ukraine itself imposed sanctions against him."

What caused the scandal

On September 26, the election for the president of the International Chess Federation took place in Samarkand. In the second round, Timur Turlov defeated Vadym Rosenstein by a vote of 110 to 85.

Before the vote, a public discussion arose around Rosenstein's candidacy because of media reports that raised questions about his possible business ties to Russia and compliance with sanctions restrictions. The entrepreneur himself denies these allegations.

Another part of the dispute concerns FIDE's new leadership and Mykhailo Podolyak's participation in Turlov's team. In September, Podolyak, an adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, accepted an invitation to join the team of the federation's new president. The Chess Federation of Ukraine opposed this step and stated that it had not authorized Podolyak to represent its interests in FIDE.

On October 23, the board of the European Chess Union, at a meeting in Budva, unanimously supported the Chess Federation of Ukraine in the dispute over Podolyak's status. According to the position of the Ukrainian federation, FIDE assigned him an identification code under the Ukrainian flag despite the CFU's objections.

The European Chess Union and the Chess Federation of Ukraine announced their intention to file a joint protest against the decision of the FIDE General Assembly and seek its reversal.