Magnus Carlsen urges chess chiefs not to readmit Russia and Belarus

Chess great Magnus Carlsen has urged his game’s top sporting body not to readmit Russia and Belarus ahead of a key vote this weekend on whether to restore their membership.

Russia and Belarus were booted out of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in 2022 over the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, effectively banning the two countries from international competitions.

Carlsen was speaking at an FIDE gala in Budapest on Thursday evening, in which he paid tribute to Russian Grandmaster Garry Kasparov while accepting an award for being the greatest player of all time.

“In Garry’s honour, I’m sure he would take the opportunity to advise against reinstating the Russian and Belarusian Chess Federation, so that is what I will do as well,” the 33-year-old Norwegian player said.

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Kasparov responded in a social media post: “Indeed I would, and do!”

Kasparov is a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has lived in exile for over a decade.

FIDE is set to vote at its general assembly this weekend whether to adopt a controversial Kyrgyz proposal to readmit Russia and Belarus to the sporting body.

The move has drawn controversy in the sport and from Ukraine, whose sports minister Matviy Bidny praised Carlsen in a post on Facebook.

“Sanctions against Russia and Belarus should only be strengthened as long as the war continues, as dictatorial regimes are trying to legitimise the war against Ukraine by using sport and athletes,” he said in a post on Thursday.

Carlsen is a five-time world chess champion, winning consecutive FIDE competitions from 2013 to 2021.