The Court of Arbitration for Sport has banned the Russian Chess Federation from holding tournaments in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which has become a significant victory for Kyiv in the fight against Moscow’s use of sports for political purposes.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has demanded that the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) suspend any activities in the Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation, including Crimea, Sevastopol, and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. This decision resulted from a lawsuit filed by the Ukrainian Chess Federation. Previously, the RCF was only fined 45,000 euros for violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The arbitration court annulled the fine, declaring it “manifestly and grossly disproportionate” compared to the severity of the offense, establishing a 90-day period for the RCF to cease activities in the occupied territories. The President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, Oleksandr Kamyshyn, called this decision “principled,” noting that international sports law now clearly recognizes Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The legal campaign was led by Ukrainian grandmaster Andriy Baryshpolyts and Danish coach Peter Heine Nielsen with the support of the law firm Covington & Burling. Nielsen emphasized that this verdict clearly indicates that even if the Kremlin considers these territories part of Russia, they will not be recognized as such in the world of sports.
The CAS decision also stipulates that in the event of repeated violations, Russia’s membership in FIDE will be suspended for three years. This places Moscow with a choice: to cease activities in the occupied regions to restore international sports legitimacy or to continue using sports as a political tool and face the consequences.
This case is significant because Russia uses sports in the occupied territories as a political tool of influence, instilling Russian identity in children and adolescents and integrating them into the Russian sports system. This court decision sets an important precedent for future legal actions against similar violations by Russia.
| Territory | Engaged Activity | CAS Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Crimea | Organization of tournaments | Prohibited |
| Sevastopol | Organization of competitions | Prohibited |
| Donbas | Sports events | Prohibited |
