Arkadi Dvorkovitch must give up his role as fide president.

[Alain Lafleche]

His country no longer represents Its motto - Gens una sumus.

[Frank Dixon]

I agree, Alain.

And I would respectfully request that CFC President Vlad Drkulec discuss this issue with the other FIDE Zonal presidents and representatives, forthwith, and report back to the CFC membership.

But what gets really interesting is this: status of Russian NHL players! There are a lot of key Russian stars on top teams. Should these players be suspended, due to restraint of trade with the enemy?

[Alex Ferreira]

... really?

That escalated quickly.
I mean, I don't care for Dvorkovitch one way or another, don't have a strong opinion about his FIDE Presidency.
Does Russia control FIDE? -- I don't think so. It's a World body who happens to have a Russian citizen as its president.

Do you expect Russian citizens to give up their posts everywhere in the world?
Athletes and competitors (ie chess players too) to stop representing their flag?
Russians to desert Russia and do everything they can to stop being Russian?

I really don't think the average Russian person expected, or supports, the current invasion of Ukraine. Having a strong-man in what we in the west consider a questionable style regime in Russia, committing what appears to be a lunatic crime, should not mean that the average Russian person should stop doing their job. Dvorkovitch as far as I know, does not represent the Russian Government.

What am I missing?

Alex F.

[Alain Lafleche]

... really?

That escalated quickly.
I mean, I don't care for Dvorkovitch one way or another, don't have a strong opinion about his FIDE Presidency.
Does Russia control FIDE? -- I don't think so. It's a World body who happens to have a Russian citizen as its president.

Do you expect Russian citizens to give up their posts everywhere in the world?
Athletes and competitors (ie chess players too) to stop representing their flag?
Russians to desert Russia and do everything they can to stop being Russian?

I really don't think the average Russian person expected, or supports, the current invasion of Ukraine. Having a strong-man in what we in the west consider a questionable style regime in Russia, committing what appears to be a lunatic crime, should not mean that the average Russian person should stop doing their job. Dvorkovitch as far as I know, does not represent the Russian Government.

What am I missing?

Alex F.

Dvorkovitch as far as I know, does not represent the Russian Government ?

You have to read where he comes from.


Arkadi Vladimirovich Dvorkovitch, born March 26, 1972 in Moscow, USSR, is a Russian economist, vice-president in the government of Dmitri Medvedev from 2012 to 2018. Before that, Dvorkovitch had already been the adviser to Medvedvev, then president of the Federation of Russia (May 13, 2008 – May 21, 2012).


Dmitri Anatolievitch Medvedev or Dimitri Medvedev (in russian: Дмитрий Анатольевич медведев [Dʲmʲitrʲɪj ɐnɐtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mʲɪdvʲdʲɪf]), Born September 14, 1965 in Leningrad, is a Russian man. First vice-president of the Russian government from 2005, he was elected president of the Russian Federation in 2008. He then appointed his predecessor, Vladimir Putin, who could not serve more than two consecutive terms, as president of the government. As head of state, he pursues a policy more oriented towards liberalism and technology. He gave way to Vladimir Putin for the 2012 presidential election. He was in turn appointed Prime Minister in 2012, when Vladimir Putin returned to the post of President of Russia. Dmitry Medvedev also becomes chairman of the presidential party, United Russia. He was reappointed in 2018, after the re-election of Vladimir Putin. He resigned as head of government in 2020 and was appointed vice-president of the Security Council.

[Bob Armstrong]

FIDE & the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Sanctions?

Jacob Aagaard Fb Post - 22/2/24

The perfect gentleman, Mr Arkady Dvorkovich, who would never openly favour something as ridiculous as imperial war, has strong historic ties to the inner circle of Kremlin, calling Putin his boss, when he was running for the FIDE elections in 2018. In private I am certain he is horrified, as will be almost all Russians with a knowledge of the world. However, he is now a representative of a criminal regime and cannot represent chess on the World stage.

Sadly, FIDE is entirely controlled by Russians and entirely dependent on Russian money.

FIDE in its current form is therefore unable to take the consequences of Russia violating the most basic requirements of the UN Charter. Which would be to cancel the Olympiad. Cancel all ties to Russian sponsors. Removing Russian players from the World Championship cycle, and Russia from European and World events.

I would suggest that the continental organisations take over the management of FIDE until a free and fair election can be called, without Russian candidates, presumably in 2023.


Wikipedia

Jacob Aagaard (born 31 July 1973) is a Danish-born Scottish chess grandmaster and the 2007 British Chess Champion. He is Scotland's third-highest rated player as of July 2021, with an Elo rating of 2477. His peak rating was 2542. In 2004, he took second place in the Scottish Chess Championship. In 2005, he took first place in the Scottish Championship but was not a British citizen, so the title went to Craig Pritchett. In 2012 he won the title; the first time he played and was eligible to win it. He is also a chess author and co-owner of Quality Chess, a chess publishing house.^[2]

In 2011, Aagaard was awarded the title of FIDE Senior Trainer.

In 2012, Aagaard won the Scottish Chess Championships with a score of 7/9.^[3]

Aagaard is the only chess writer in the world to win all four major Book of the Year awards: English Chess Federation (2010), ChessCafe.com (2001), Association of Chess Professionals (2013) and the Boleslavsky Medal from FIDE's trainer committee (2012).

~ Bob A (T-S/P)

[Alex Ferreira]

Alright, we can agree that Dvorkovitch is well-connected. And was in Russian politics. Is he involved in Russian politics now? And are all people in Russian politics, aligned with Putin's decision to invade? I am not defending Dvorkovitch, but this seems to me like jumping the gun a bit.
Should Dvorkovitch not having run for the FIDE Presidency because he was in Russian politics prior?
Should he quit his job / career because his Nation's President actions?
Maybe all Russian diplomats should change career overnight because of Putin's actions these days?

Should Dvorkovitch make a statement condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine? Maybe... but FIDE should (in practice and on paper) be an organization that is disassociated with the Russian government, or any government. And do you really expect that to happen? Do major chess events not continue to take place in Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc...?
Will be interesting to see what happens... but I don't understand why a person should "do the moral high thing" and sacrifice his entire future in the process, because someone way above him, committed a crime.

If you were Vice President of a "Corporation X" 10 years ago, and now you work at Corporation Y (while retaining connections with "Corporation X"), and the CEO now of "Corporation X" commits a heinous crime, should you quit your job at Corporation Y? --- I don't think anyone would expect that. But where I would agree with you is... IF there is a working relationship between Russia and FIDE, that should cease, but in my opinion it should have never existed.

Alex F.

[Neil Frarey]

Chess Federation of Canada is spineless.

How long ago should there have been a letter of protest and an immediate declaration of withdrawal from participating with FIDE in Russia sent over to FIDE?

Has that letter been sent?

Um, nope!

Need even more death?

[Neil Frarey]

Dvorkovitch as far as I know, does not represent the Russian Government ?

You have to read where he comes from.


Arkadi Vladimirovich Dvorkovitch, born March 26, 1972 in Moscow, USSR, is a Russian economist, vice-president in the government of Dmitri Medvedev from 2012 to 2018. Before that, Dvorkovitch had already been the adviser to Medvedvev, then president of the Federation of Russia (May 13, 2008 – May 21, 2012).


Dmitri Anatolievitch Medvedev or Dimitri Medvedev (in russian: Дмитрий Анатольевич медведев [Dʲmʲitrʲɪj ɐnɐtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mʲɪdvʲdʲɪf]), Born September 14, 1965 in Leningrad, is a Russian man. First vice-president of the Russian government from 2005, he was elected president of the Russian Federation in 2008. He then appointed his predecessor, Vladimir Putin, who could not serve more than two consecutive terms, as president of the government. As head of state, he pursues a policy more oriented towards liberalism and technology. He gave way to Vladimir Putin for the 2012 presidential election. He was in turn appointed Prime Minister in 2012, when Vladimir Putin returned to the post of President of Russia. Dmitry Medvedev also becomes chairman of the presidential party, United Russia. He was reappointed in 2018, after the re-election of Vladimir Putin. He resigned as head of government in 2020 and was appointed vice-president of the Security Council.

And to help grease those palms ...

Several of FIDE's big-name sponsors are Russian firms, including gas supplier Gazprom, the fertilizer giant PhosAgro, and mining firm Nornickel.

FIDE received nearly $1.5 million in 2020 and nearly $2 million in 2019 from mostly Russian corporate donors, including Russian Railways, Norilsk Nickel and Rosatom.

[Aris Marghetis]

Alright, we can agree that Dvorkovitch is well-connected. And was in Russian politics. Is he involved in Russian politics now? And are all people in Russian politics, aligned with Putin's decision to invade? I am not defending Dvorkovitch, but this seems to me like jumping the gun a bit.
Should Dvorkovitch not having run for the FIDE Presidency because he was in Russian politics prior?
Should he quit his job / career because his Nation's President actions?
Maybe all Russian diplomats should change career overnight because of Putin's actions these days?

Should Dvorkovitch make a statement condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine? Maybe... but FIDE should (in practice and on paper) be an organization that is disassociated with the Russian government, or any government. And do you really expect that to happen? Do major chess events not continue to take place in Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc...?
Will be interesting to see what happens... but I don't understand why a person should "do the moral high thing" and sacrifice his entire future in the process, because someone way above him, committed a crime.

If you were Vice President of a "Corporation X" 10 years ago, and now you work at Corporation Y (while retaining connections with "Corporation X"), and the CEO now of "Corporation X" commits a heinous crime, should you quit your job at Corporation Y? --- I don't think anyone would expect that. But where I would agree with you is... IF there is a working relationship between Russia and FIDE, that should cease, but in my opinion it should have never existed.

Alex F.

That's well-written Alex, I generally agree with you.
This is an extremely difficult saddening situation.
Most of us probably know people who are close to people both in the Ukraine and Russia.
But like Alex, based on what's known, I just don't see how/why Arkady is catching blame.
Am I missing something?

[Alain Lafleche]

That's well-written Alex, I generally agree with you.
This is an extremely difficult saddening situation.
Most of us probably know people who are close to people both in the Ukraine and Russia.
But like Alex, based on what's known, I just don't see how/why Arkady is catching blame.
Am I missing something?

If a Russian GM like Karjakin support Putin, i don't think the Fide President or any Russian GM and Russian chess players will say, i support Ukraine.

Karjakin supporting Putin



When speaking to Ukrainian Anastasia Karlovich in the press conference after a game Sergey Karjakin expressed his satisfaction concerning the Russian annexation of Crimea. This week he also posted this photo of himself in a pro Putin t-shirt, which was reposted by Russian sites and criticised by some others. Olimpiu G. Urcan wrote something about Karjakin illustrating how education and chess sometimes can be antithetical, and some reactions were even more negative than that. Then it's another question how "bad" it is that Karjakin lately has showed himself to really like Putin. Most Russians do after all.

[Patrick Kirby]

Going from vice president of the country to head of FIDE is a pretty big demotion, indicating that the guy either fell out of favor with the political elite or made a personal decision to leave the Russian government. So I think I would lean towards giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[Victor Plotkin]

I hope, CFC will make its statement later today or tomorrow.

I can express my personal opinion. For me last 3 days was the most "politically difficult" time in my life. I remember many events which made me "crazy". Like Belgrade-93, Sep-11, Baghdad-2003, bombings in Israeli buses and restaurants, Crimea-2014. However, now is a different one. It's an absolutely unbelievable situation.

I fill ashamed for being born in Russia.

2 weeks ago, I was attending American FIDE meeting in Mexico-city. Important part of this event was an opportunity to talk to FIDE President A.Dvorkovich. I will write a detailed report about all this event very soon. I just need more time to concentrate.

Olympiad and FIDE congress in Moscow this summer were really important for Dvorkovich. He planned it as a "victory event". Indeed, he was pretty good as a FIDE president and could expect an easy and well-deserved win.

We had a long face-to-face conversation, about 20-25 min. At the end I asked him "Are you sure where will not be any boycott like in 1980?" Again, it was 14 days ago, the world was a different one that time. He answered that "nothing will happen, just a political games". I still believe that he was honest with me and didn't know about P. plans.

[Neil Frarey]

Hey Victor, please don't feel any shame for being Russian. I personally love a lot of Russia, especially St. Petersburg! Amazing city! There's good and bad citizens in ALL the countries around the world.

Almost too little too late for the Chess Federation of Canada to release a formal statement. You don't need a vote for something like this ... all you need is heart.



.

[Brad Thomson]

No need for shame Victor, you have shown courage in speaking against Putin. We sympathize with you and are thankful for the contribution you have made and continue to make to Canada and to Canadian chess.

[Bob Gillanders]

CFC supports the people of Ukraine.

https://www.chesscanada.info/forum/s...ion-of-Ukraine