Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the International Chess Federation (Fide), has suspended his duties after being included in the EU’s latest sanctions package over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The former Russian deputy prime minister faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze, creating uncertainty over Fide’s leadership and potentially weakening Russia’s long-standing influence in international chess.

The EU cited Dvorkovich’s alleged support for Russia’s annexation of Crimea and descriptions of occupied Ukrainian cities as Russian “new territories”, as well as his role on the Russian chess federation’s board. He denies wrongdoing, calls the sanctions unfair and says he has not resigned; Ukraine and England’s Fide representative welcomed the decision, while Fide had been due to hold its next presidential election in September.