Former women’s world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk is leaving Russian Chess Federation and will represent Switzerland from 2024.
After the Russian aggression against Ukraine started, Kosteniuk, who also holds Swiss citizenship and lives in Paris, expressed her protest by taking up the neutral FIDE flag. The famous Chess Queen is now completing her transfer to Swiss Chess Federation.
Due to FIDE’s neglect about the war in Ukraine and outdated transfer rules, a transfer fee of 10,000 EUR would be due to RCF should Kosteniuk represent Switzerland in the European Team Chess Championship 2023 in Budva. For this reason she will represent her new federation only from January 2024 when a two-year waiting period expires and there is no transfer fee.
Alexandra Kosteniuk is expected to play in the Swiss Individual Open Championships in Leukerbad. She already won the Swiss Open title back in In 2013.
