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Fresh allegations of Russian influence on the International Chess Federation (FIDE) have been made by Viswanathan Anand’s former coach Peter Heine Nielsen, who is currently the trainer of world No.1 Magnus Carlsen. Danish Grandmaster Nielsen made the latest attack on FIDE and its perceived closeness to Russia after the World Chess Federation announced that the FIDE World Cup 2025 for young chess players would take place in the European nation of Georgia.
The FIDE World Cup 2025 for age-group players will take place from 22 June to 3 July in Batumi, Georgia. The competition will be held across three age groups — Under 8, 10, and 12 — and in two categories: Open and Girls, with 48 participants in each.
The announcement was met with strong criticism by Nielsen who has been quite vocal about FIDE’s close ties with Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The 51-year-old chess trainer once again accused the global chess body of being used as war propaganda by Russia.
“Election fraud in Georgia, resulting in a pro-Russian 🇷🇺government and President. Georgia has been a focus point of @FIDE_chess for a long time, one can always see the direct Russian foreign policy interests, where the FIDE President is active,” Nielsen wrote on social media X reacting to the World Cup venue announcement by FIDE.
Election fraud in Georgia 🇬🇪, resulting in a pro-Russian 🇷🇺government and President.
Georgia has been a focus point of @FIDE_chess for a long time, one can always see the direct Russian foreign policy interests, where the FIDE President is active. https://t.co/4gghqjpvvG
Georgia is currently ruled by the Georgian Dream Party, which is seen as a pro-Russia political group. It has been said that Russia has been using Georgia, through the help of the Georgian Dream party, to exert its dominance in the Caucasus region.
Georgian Dream was established by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his money in metals and banking in Russia. Under his aegis, Georgia has refused to join Western sanctions on Russia and in November, prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the country will not be joining the European Union anytime soon, pushing it towards Russia’s grip.
In fact, the victory of the Georgian Dream party in October’s parliamentary election has been called a “Russian special operation” by former president Salome Zourabichvili.
Just last week Nielsen had accused that FIDE was being used for war propaganda by Russia as he pointed out that the body was hosting several chess tournaments in illegally-occupied regions of Ukraine. He also alleged that sponsors of the chess governing body have ties with Russia.
“No, you literally dont care that FIDE is being used by the Kremlin Extreme war propaganda by Karjakin. Several thousand tournament in illegally occupied Ukraine Greetings and orders by Putin to “neutral” Russian athletes. Sponsors with ties to Russia. Its wrong”, Nielsen wrote on X in reaction to a FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky about how the governing body is working towards growing chess.
No, you literally dont care that FIDE is being used by the Kremlin 🇷🇺
Extreme war propaganda by Karjakin.
Several thousand tournament in illegally occupied Ukraine 🇺🇦
Greetings and orders by Putin to “neutral” Russian 🇷🇺 athletes.
Sponsors with ties to Russia.
Its wrong. https://t.co/eSNEwQ9k66
It is to be noted that the current president of FIDE is also a Russian, Arkady Dvorkovich, who has served as his country’s deputy Prime Minister. However, Russia and Belarus’s chess teams have been banned from international competitions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
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