The Ukrainian Chess Federation (UCF) and Danish Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen, a prominent coach and chess advocate, have raised sharp criticisms against the International Chess Federation (FIDE) following the start of the Russian Chess Championship Superfinal.
Announced as an official qualifier for the 2027 FIDE World Cup, the tournament is organized by the Chess Federation of Russia (CFR), whose membership in FIDE was suspended after rulings by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
According to statement details released by the UCF, holding an official FIDE World Cup qualifier under suspended CFR management represents a direct violation of international sports arbitration rulings and FIDE regulations.
The opening ceremony drew further public outrage due to the presence of Russian military personnel who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. Adding to the controversy, FIDE Vice President Pavel Kolobkov, a former Russian Minister of Sport, military officer, and close associate of Vladimir Putin, attended and delivered an address at the event despite FIDE’s official suspension of the Russian body.
Grandmaster Nielsen shared strong objections on social media, questioning why Russia is allowed to utilize chess events for war propaganda without a formal response from FIDE and its newly elected President, Timur Turlov.
The UCF echoed these concerns while directly targeting Ukrainian political figure Mykhailo Podolyak, who recently accepted a FIDE Vice President position under Turlov.
The federation questioned Podolyak’s prior claims of intent to reform and distance FIDE from Russian influence, calling attention to FIDE’s silence regarding blatant regulatory infractions.
