5 min readUpdated: Jul 24, 2026 10:49 AM IST
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has taken over as the interim president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Friday, following the European Union’s sanctions against current president Arkady Dvorkovich.
Dvorkovich was named in the EU’s 21st sanctions package, which imposes restrictive measures against Russia in response to its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.
The 54-year-old Russian, who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 2012 to 2018, has been at the helm of FIDE since 2018, when he defeated Georgios Makropoulos in the presidential election.
Anand, who teamed up with Dvorkovich in 2022, played a crucial role in helping the Russian secure re-election as FIDE president. In return, Anand was appointed deputy FIDE president, defeating the duo of Andrii Baryshpolets and Peter Heine Nielsen in the 2022 FIDE Congress in Chennai, held on the sidelines of the Mahabalipuram Chess Olympiad.
Anand has made it clear that he will not stand for the FIDE deputy president’s post again. He will, however, continue to be part of Dvorkovich’s campaign team as the incumbent president eyes a third term in the September elections scheduled in Samarkand.
Anand confirmed the development on Friday and said his focus will be on ensuring continuity and serving the global chess family. Taking to X, he wrote, “Following the decision by President Arkady Dvorkovich to suspend the exercise of his duties, and in accordance with the FIDE Charter, I have assumed the responsibilities of Interim President.
“Together with the FIDE Council, the administration and our member federations, my focus will be on ensuring continuity and serving the global chess family. FIDE’s work continues. Arkady has built a strong team and vision and I today take it as our collective responsibility to carry the work forward. Gens Una Sumus,” added Anand.
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AICF president Nitin Narang also congratulated Anand after the Indian chess legend assumed the role of FIDE interim president.
As FIDE enters an interim phase of leadership, I extend my best wishes to Deputy President Viswanathan Anand @vishy64theking as he assumes the responsibilities of Interim President.
Vishy sir has earned the respect of the global chess community through his integrity, wisdom and…
— Nitin Narang (@narangnitin) July 23, 2026
Meanwhile, Dvorkovich released a statement late on Thursday, calling the sanction “unlawful and unfair” and vowing to challenge the decision by all “possible means.”
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“Today, the EU decision to include my name in the 21st sanctions list was published. I want to state unequivocally that I consider this decision unlawful and unfair, and this decision will be immediately challenged by all possible means. I am confident that justice will prevail,” read the statement from the FIDE president.
“However, given that until a formal court decision is rendered and/or such decision is cancelled or amended, these sanctions could hinder the stable functioning of FIDE, I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties as FIDE President with immediate effect and for as long as I remain subject to sanctions under the EU and Swiss laws and regulations. In accordance with the FIDE Charter, the duties of the President will be assumed by the FIDE Deputy President, the 15th World Champion, Viswanathan Anand,” the statement added.
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Dvorkovich’s statement came hours after Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Matvii Bidnyi, revealed that Dvorkovich had been included in the 21st sanctions package against Russia, alongside Mikhail Degtyarev, Russia’s Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee.
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“Arkady Dvorkovich promotes the interests of the Kremlin while holding the position of president of the International Chess Federation. Both of them consistently use their positions to spread the narratives of the aggressor state and legitimize Russia in world sports,” Bidnyi wrote on Facebook.
“The inclusion of them in the EU sanctions list confirms that Kremlin officials and their lobbyists have no place in the civilized sports community. Sports cannot exist separately from international law during a war,” he added.
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The EU sanctions list accuses Dvorkovich of leveraging his FIDE presidency to advance Russian agendas that threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty. The entry highlights his past government roles in Russia and notes that the Kremlin celebrated his 2022 re-election as a diplomatic win for Moscow.
According to the EU, Dvorkovich has openly backed Russia’s annexation of Crimea and referred to occupied Ukrainian territories as Russia’s “new regions.” The sanctions also point to his involvement with the Russian Chess Federation’s Board of Trustees, which includes other EU-sanctioned individuals. The federation, the EU alleges, has held tournaments in illegally annexed areas including Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, with Dvorkovich playing a central role in those decisions.
