The FIDE Council Decision on Russian Women’s Team Participation in the World Team Championship 2025
The European Chess Union (ECU) has reviewed the decision made at the Online FIDE Council Meeting held on July 18, 2025, regarding the participation of Russian National Team in the 2025 Women’s World Team Championship.
We note that this decision directly contradicts the most recent decisions of the FIDE General Assembly taken in Budapest, where two motions for lifting the sanctions against the Russian Chess Federation were rejected by a vast majority by FIDE member nations.
Additionally, this matter was not originally on the FIDE Council agenda and came to light only after it was mentioned in Russian state media.
FIDE’s stated policy is to follow IOC guidance and this Council decision aligns only with a policy adopted by a tiny minority of other international sports federations. The ECU maintains its firm position that sanctions against Russian teams’ participation should remain in place until the circumstances that necessitated these measures are fully resolved.
As the governing body representing 54 European chess federations, the ECU has a responsibility to uphold the values of fair play, integrity, and solidarity that define our sport. We believe that lifting these restrictions, even by giving Russian teams neutral status, sends an inconsistent message regarding the international chess community’s commitment to these principles.
The ECU will continue to monitor this situation closely and reserves the right to take appropriate measures within our jurisdiction to ensure that European chess competitions maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and international solidarity.
European Chess Union