It’s checkmate for a Russian chess grandmaster thanks for his vocal support of his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The International Chess Federation, or FIDE, issued a worldwide ban on Sergey Karjakin, preventing him from participating in any of its chess competitions for six months beginning Monday.
“The EDC Chamber finds, against the background given above, on the standard of comfortable satisfaction that the statements of Sergey Karjakin, which, by his own choice and presentation, can be connected to the game of chess, damage the reputation of the game of chess and/or FIDE,” Article 2.2.10 of the Code of Ethics read. “The likelihood that these statements will damage the reputation of Sergey Karjakin personally is also considerable.”
The Ethics and Disciplinary Commission First Instance Chamber voted unanimously to suspend Karjakin for violating FIDE’s Code of Ethics, which states that “disciplinary action” would be taken when the game of chess, FIDE, or its federations “appear in an unjustifiable unfavorable light and in this way damage its reputation.”
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The EDC has informed Karjakin he can appeal the suspension by giving a written notice to the FIDE secretariat within 21 days.
Karjakin, ranked No. 18 on the world rank for active players, said on March 14 on social media that Ukraine used “a rocket with a cluster charge to strike civilians in Donbass” and that cluster munitions are prohibited by the United Nations convention. He also wrote that the “Ukrainian army shelled the very center of the city of Donetsk” and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “the killer of the children of Donbass!”
Ukraine used a rocket with a cluster charge to strike civilians in Donbass
Cluster munitions are prohibited by the UN Convention
But the UN will not notice anything again
— Sergey Karjakin ?????? (@SergeyKaryakin) March 14, 2022
Today, March 14, 2022, the Ukrainian army shelled the very center of the city of Donetsk. 25 people died, about 19 people got injured. Lying Western Press, why are you silent?
Zelensky is the killer of the children of Donbass! pic.twitter.com/of6bXAlrgg— Sergey Karjakin ?????? (@SergeyKaryakin) March 14, 2022
The EDC Chamber also said it will not sanction fellow grandmaster Sergei Shipov because he is less known and has “a less powerful platform.” The EDC Chamber also found Shipov’s statements to be not as provocative as the ones made by Karjakin.
The FIDE Council suspended the national teams of Russia and Belarus from participating in its tournaments until further notice on Wednesday.
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FIDE has not yet responded to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
