Chess governing body FIDE's general assembly on Sunday upheld a ban on Russian and Belarusian players imposed after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, while backing a move to consider easing restrictions on disabled and junior players,
Reuters reports.
The Ukrainian government, opens new tab, the U.S. State Department, opens new tab and players including former world champion Magnus Carlsen, opens new tab and members of the Ukraine Olympic team had urged chess federations to reject an initial motion by Kyrgyzstan to fully reinstate the two nations.
In the end, delegates from 66 countries supported a last-minute proposal by the FIDE Council to consult the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about letting some players and teams from Russia and Belarus, such as those with disabilities or children aged under 12, return to international events.
"We believe this approach upholds FIDE's commitment to inclusivity while respecting the international framework", the organisation's deputy president and also a former world champion Viswanathan Anand told the assembly before the ballot.
Forty-one delegates voted not to readmit the players, 21 countries favoured lifting the ban entirely and 27 abstained or were absent.
The FIDE Council is an oversight body chaired by FIDE president and former Russian deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich, who has strived to avoid criticism in both Russia and the West.
