The German Chess Federation today published the press release, clearly stating that the German Chess Federation is against the return of the Russian and Belarusian chess players without restrictions.
The President of the German Chess Federation Ingrid Lauterbach explains that the Kyrgyz Chess Federation proposal is absurd: “I think it is absurd that this application was even made, and now I hope that common sense prevails“. Lauterbach has held discussions with several European national associations on the matter and appealed to the FIDE Management Board to remove the item from the agenda. “If the Kyrgyzstan motion is nevertheless presented to the assembly, I urge you as delegates to protect the interests of FIDE and vote against it. Otherwise FIDE and chess will be marginalized internationally in the world of sport.“, reads her letter sent to 199 delegates.
Read more: FIDE in Risk of Losing IOC Recognition
As written in the press release, Ingrid Lauterbach also turned to the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations. In the form of a clear request, ARISF urged FIDE to continue to comply with the IOC’s recommendations and, in particular, not to allow any Russian athletes to compete with an anthem or flag.
On August 23, immediately after the Kyrgyz Chess Federation proposal to lift sanctions against Russian and Belarussian chess players became known, the German Chess Federation was the first chess association to take a clear position: “From our point of view, these motions do not correspond with the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and also with our position on this war. Athletes from a country that is waging a bloody war of aggression are not allowed to take part in international competitions with anthem and flag. Those athletes who support the war must be completely excluded – as the IOC did for the Summer Games and Paralympics in Paris“.
Norwegian Chess Federation rejected the Kyrgyz Chess Federation proposal, while Lithuanian Chess Federation condemned FIDE Ethics Commissionโs Decision on Russian Federation Suspension. In the meantime, Ukrainian chess players sent an open letter to FIDE, asking them to remove Kyrgyz Chess Federation proposal from the Assembly Agenda.
