Chess governing physique faces new allegations of Russian affect after asserting World Cup venue

Recent allegations of Russian affect on the Worldwide Chess Federation (FIDE) have been made by Viswanathan Anand’s former coach Peter Heine Nielsen, who’s at present the coach of world No.1 Magnus Carlsen. Danish Grandmaster Nielsen made the most recent assault on FIDE and its perceived closeness to Russia after the World Chess Federation introduced that the FIDE World Cup 2025 for younger chess gamers would happen within the European nation of Georgia.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 for age-group gamers will happen from 22 June to three July in Batumi, Georgia. The competitors can be held throughout three age teams — Below 8, 10, and 12 — and in two classes: Open and Women, with 48 members in every.

The announcement was met with robust criticism by Nielsen who has been fairly vocal about FIDE’s shut ties with Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The 51-year-old chess coach as soon as once more accused the worldwide chess physique of getting used as warfare propaganda by Russia.

“Election fraud in Georgia, leading to a pro-Russian 🇷🇺authorities and President. Georgia has been a spotlight level of @FIDE_chess for a very long time, one can at all times see the direct Russian overseas coverage pursuits, the place the FIDE President is lively,” Nielsen wrote on social media X reacting to the World Cup venue announcement by FIDE.

Election fraud in Georgia 🇬🇪, leading to a pro-Russian 🇷🇺authorities and President.

Georgia has been a spotlight level of @FIDE_chess for a very long time, one can at all times see the direct Russian overseas coverage pursuits, the place the FIDE President is lively. https://t.co/4gghqjpvvG

— Peter Heine Nielsen (@PHChess) January 8, 2025

Why Georgia is seen pro-Russia?

Georgia is at present dominated by the Georgian Dream Social gathering, which is seen as a pro-Russia political group. It has been mentioned that Russia has been utilizing Georgia, by means of the assistance of the Georgian Dream social gathering, to exert its dominance within the Caucasus area.

Georgian Dream was established by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his cash in metals and banking in Russia. Below his aegis, Georgia has refused to hitch Western sanctions on Russia and in November, prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze introduced that the nation won’t be becoming a member of the European Union anytime quickly, pushing it in the direction of Russia’s grip.

In actual fact, the victory of the Georgian Dream social gathering in October’s parliamentary election has been referred to as a “Russian particular operation” by former president Salome Zourabichvili.

Nielsen continues assault on FIDE

Simply final week Nielsen had accused that FIDE was getting used for warfare propaganda by Russia as he identified that the physique was internet hosting a number of chess tournaments in illegally-occupied areas of Ukraine. He additionally alleged that sponsors of the chess governing physique have ties with Russia.

“No, you actually dont care that FIDE is being utilized by the Kremlin Excessive warfare propaganda by Karjakin. A number of thousand event in illegally occupied Ukraine Greetings and orders by Putin to “impartial” Russian athletes. Sponsors with ties to Russia. Its improper”, Nielsen wrote on X in response to a FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky about how the governing physique is working in the direction of rising chess.

No, you actually dont care that FIDE is being utilized by the Kremlin 🇷🇺

Excessive warfare propaganda by Karjakin.

A number of thousand event in illegally occupied Ukraine 🇺🇦

Greetings and orders by Putin to “impartial” Russian 🇷🇺 athletes.

Sponsors with ties to Russia.

Its improper. https://t.co/eSNEwQ9k66

— Peter Heine Nielsen (@PHChess) January 3, 2025

It’s to be famous that the present president of FIDE can also be a Russian, Arkady Dvorkovich, who has served as his nation’s deputy Prime Minister. Nonetheless, Russia and Belarus’s chess groups have been banned from worldwide competitions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.