On July 23 local time, the EU approved a new round of sanctions against Russia, covering various fields including energy, finance, cryptocurrencies, and trade. A total of 48 individuals and 170 entities have been listed as sanctioned targets.
According to Russian media RT, on the 24th, EU sanctions affected Arkadiy Dvorkovich, the Russian-chairman of the World Chess Federation. He condemned the EU's "illegal and unfair" decision and vowed to "do everything possible" to challenge it. He stated that he would voluntarily step down until the sanctions were lifted or revoked.
Devolkovich is an economic expert who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from May 2012 to May 2018. In October 2018, he was elected president of the World Chess Federation and was re-elected in 2022. Devolkovich was included in the latest round of EU sanctions against Russia, on the grounds of "alleged public support for Russian military operations."
Alkadimir Devolkovich
Regarding the actions of the European Union, Devolcovic stated in a statement: "The European Union announced its decision to include my name in the 21st round of sanctions. I want to clarify that I believe this decision is illegal and unjust, and I will take all possible steps to challenge it."
Devolković stated that in order to avoid disrupting the operations of the World Chess Federation, he decided to suspend his duties until the sanctions are lifted or he is overturned in court. Vice Chairman Viswanathan Anand will take over the responsibilities of the chairman. This decision has been approved by the board of the World Chess Federation.
Today’s Russia states that the World Chess Federation is registered in Switzerland. According to Swiss law, individuals subject to sanctions cannot legally be 'owners, holders, or controllers' of the organization's assets. This means that if Deволкович continues to serve as a member of the World Chess Federation, its bank accounts, sponsorships, and contracts may face compliance issues.
The World Chess Federation will hold a presidential election in September this year. Devolkovich originally planned to seek a third term. However, after being sanctioned by the European Union, he changed his plans. On the 24th local time, he told Russian Tass: "I will no longer run for the presidency of the World Chess Federation, as this would pose risks to the organization."
Regarding the 21st round of sanctions announced by the EU, Russia’s permanent delegation to the EU issued a comment on the 23rd. They said that for Brussels, approving sanctions against Russia has become an hostile "ritual," aimed at demonstrating the "unity" of member states, at the expense of their own national interests. In response to the unilateral hostile measures taken by the EU, Russia will provide "effective and sufficient countermeasures."
