**Russian-Born Businessman Elected as New President of FIDE**
Timur Turlov, a businessman originally from Russia, has been elected as the new president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The election took place on Saturday, with representatives from 196 nations participating in the vote. Turlov's election follows the resignation of the previous FIDE chief, Arkady Dvorkovich, who stepped down amid pressure from the European Union.
In the first round of voting, Turlov secured 96 votes, leading the competition against two German candidates, Wadim Rosenstein and Jan Henric Buettner, who received 76 and 20 votes, respectively. Turlov continued his momentum into the second round, where he garnered 110 votes to secure his position as president.
Dvorkovich, who had been at the helm of FIDE since 2018, congratulated Turlov on his victory, expressing confidence in his successor's ability to advance the sport. He noted that Turlov had already made significant contributions to chess and would continue to do so in his new role. Dvorkovich's resignation was largely attributed to his inclusion on an EU sanctions list, which cited his alleged support for Russia's military actions in Ukraine.
In his acceptance statement, Turlov emphasized the importance of unity within the chess community, declaring, “Today is a victory for chess - for every player, every federation and everyone who believes in the potential of our game! We are all one family and we will continue working as one. This is a great responsibility and a vote for a better future of our sport.”
Timur Turlov was born in Moscow in 1987 and lived in Russia until the early 2010s, when he relocated to Kazakhstan. He is the founder of Freedom Finance, an investment company established in 2008 that provides retail investors with access to US stock markets and has expanded its operations to 22 countries. In 2023, Turlov became the head of Kazakhstan's chess federation after renouncing his Russian and Saint Kitts and Nevis citizenship in favor of Kazakhstani nationality. He also founded the International School Chess Federation (ISCF) in September 2024.
The election comes at a time of heightened tensions within FIDE, particularly regarding the treatment of Russian players and teams. In July, the EU imposed sanctions on Dvorkovich, which he criticized as “unlawful and unfair.” He pledged to contest the sanctions through all available means, highlighting the complex political landscape surrounding international sports.
FIDE is registered in Switzerland, which has specific regulations concerning sanctioned individuals. If Dvorkovich had remained in office, compliance issues regarding FIDE's assets, including bank accounts and sponsorships, could have arisen due to his sanctioned status.
Prior to Turlov's election, there was speculation about potential candidates to succeed Dvorkovich, including Russian Grandmaster Sergey Karyakin. However, Karyakin, who is currently a senator representing Crimea, is also under EU sanctions, complicating his potential candidacy.
In August, FIDE made headlines by barring Russian teams from participating in the Chess Olympiad, a decision that drew criticism from prominent figures within the Russian chess community, who accused FIDE leadership of bias against Russian players. Russian Chess Federation Executive Director Aleksandr Tkachev voiced concerns about the influence of personal interests in the decision-making processes within FIDE.
The Russian government has consistently condemned the restrictions imposed on its athletes by international sporting organizations, framing these actions as politically motivated. President Vladimir Putin has pointed out that similar measures have not been applied to athletes from other nations involved in conflicts.
As Turlov steps into his new role, the chess world will be watching closely to see how he navigates these challenges and works to unify the global chess community amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.