The International Chess Federation (FIDE) should reconsider the “political” ban placed on Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin after he was suspended for six months for speaking out in support of the military operation in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
FIDE announced on Monday that Karjakin would be banned from all events under its auspices for the next half a year after the 32-year-old issued a series of statements supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin and the offensive in Ukraine.
According to Peskov, the FIDE ban is another sign of Russian sporting figures being subjected to politically motivated sanctions.
“Of course, the principle that sport, including chess, should be outside of politics is probably the main constant of our approach,” said Peskov, according to R-Sport.
“At the same time, when events such as this occur, any citizen of the Russian Federation has and should have the right to express their position.
“No one can deprive a Russian citizen of this right. But in no way should this provoke any kind of political reaction from FIDE,” added Peskov, who is also chairman of the board of trustees of the Chess Federation of Russia.
“We call on FIDE to reconsider this decision and remain outside of politics, thereby confirming the international prestige of this international chess organization,” he added. “Of course, we do not agree with such a decision [to ban Karjakin].”
Karjakin himself reacted by suggesting that FIDE wanted to deny him the chance to compete at the upcoming Candidates Tournament, where the winner will set up a shot at the world title against Norwegian star Magnus Carlsen.
The Chess Federation of Russia has said it will appeal the ban, although Karjakin is not optimistic of success against an organization which is headed by a Russian president, Arkady Dvorkovich.
Karjakin contested the world title with Carlsen in New York in 2016, losing a tense battle on tiebreaks after the best-of-12 match had finished level.
A former world rapid and blitz chess champion, Karjakin was born in the city of Simferopol in Crimea, and switched to represent Russia in 2009.
He was a vocal supporter of the reunification of Crimea with Russia following a 2014 referendum.
At the onset of the military operation in Ukraine last month, Karjakin penned an open letter to President Vladimir Putin, thanking him for “fighting for the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine with its ruling regime, which has put the security of all of Europe and our country at risk, for the sake of its political goals and ambitions.
“I express to you, our commander-in-chief, full support in protecting the interests of Russia, our multinational Russian people, eliminating threats and establishment of peace! I wish you the speedy fulfillment of all the tasks assigned to our valiant army,” added Karjakin.
Since Russia began its operation, partly entering Ukraine via Belarus, athletes from the two nations have faced sweeping bans from numerous sports federations following recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
FIDE has banned Russia and Belarus from any team events “until further notice,” although players from the two countries can compete in a neutral status under the FIDE flag.