Ukrainian chess players ask International Chess Federation to exclude Russians and Belarusians from competitions

Thirteen Ukrainian chess players have written to the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to demand the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian players from competitions.

Source: Ukrainian Chess Federation, as reported by Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company

Quote: "As you may be aware, the assembly will consider the potential lifting of sanctions against the russian and belarusian chess federations. We believe that discussing this matter is not only premature but also deeply immoral given the ongoing circumstances affecting our homeland and the broader international community.

Humanitarian Crisis: The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant suffering for many individuals and families in Ukraine. Acknowledging the federations that support aggression contradicts the values of our sport. The decision to lift sanctions could embolden aggressors and undermine the safety and integrity of players from affected nations, including Ukraine.

We respectfully urge you to press your national federations to ensure that this topic is not even placed on the agenda for discussion. Show your support for the Ukrainian chess community and those affected by the conflict. Let us collectively uphold the values of peace, integrity, and respect within our chess community."

The letter was signed by 13 Ukrainian chess players competing in the Chess Olympics: Oleksandr Beljavskyi, Mykhaylo Brodskyi, Nataliia Buksa, Ievgeniya Doluhanova, Inna Gaponenko, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Anton Korobov, Volodymyr Onishchuk, Yuliia Osmak, Ruslan Ponomarov, Anna Ushenina, Andriy Volokytin, and Natalia Zhukova.

The new president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, Oleksandr Kamyshin, recently made a similar appeal.

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