Ukraine urged FIDE not to reinstate Russia and Belarus in international chess competitions
Kyiv • UNN
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Chess Federation of Ukraine urged FIDE not to reinstate the activities of the chess federations of Russia and Belarus. They oppose the return of national teams and the use of state symbols in competitions.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, together with the Chess Federation of Ukraine, appealed to the president and delegates of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) with a call not to allow the full restoration of the activities of the chess federations of Russia and Belarus. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
Details
The appeal was signed by Matviy Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and Oleksandr Kamyshin, President of the Chess Federation of Ukraine.
According to the CFU, on December 14, 2025, a meeting of the FIDE General Assembly will be held, at which, according to available data, it is planned to consider a proposal to return the national teams of Russia and Belarus to all FIDE tournaments, as well as to resume the use of their state symbols.
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine continues, leading to thousands of civilian deaths and millions of forced migrants. At the same time, the leadership of the Russian Chess Federation and related public figures openly support the policy of the Russian authorities and the war, which, according to Ukraine, contradicts the basic principles and values of FIDE and the international sports movement.
The appeal also reminds that FIDE has already made fundamental decisions in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In particular, in February 2022, the use of Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems at FIDE rating tournaments was banned, and in March 2022, the national teams of Russia and Belarus were suspended from participating in official competitions until further notice.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Chess Federation of Ukraine emphasize that the circumstances that formed the basis for these decisions remain unchanged, and therefore call on FIDE to maintain a consistent position and not to revise the current restrictions.
Recall
UEFA officials believe that Russia's return to international competitions under the organization's auspices, even at the youth level, will be impossible until a solution is reached to end the war in Ukraine.