MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Russia's decision to fight for its athletes' right to compete internationally is paying off, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
"The overall policy course pursued by the Ministry of Sports, our sports authorities and the [International] Olympic Committee to defend the interests of our federations painstakingly, patiently and through professional dialogue is justified," Peskov said in an interview with Rossiya-24 TV channel commenting on the World Chess Federation’s (FIDE) reinstatement of Russia.
"We are in a gradual fight against all politicized manifestations of sports, we hear reciprocal responses from the IOC, and more of our federations are fully reinstated on the global sports arena," he said.
Peskov emphasized that "this is a welcome process that can only be supported."
"We can only laud our athletes, because it is definitely nearly impossible to keep yourself at the top level in professional sports without competing at the global level," he said.
Peskov, who is also the chairman of the Russian Chess Federation’s (RCF) Board of Trustees, also said commenting on Russian players’ situation in FIDE: "Our chess players have a flag and an anthem. This is an unequivocal decision that can be hailed by all, especially our chess players."
FIDE’s sanctions against Russia
On February 28, 2022, FIDE announced that chess players from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to participate in international competitions under a neutral status, adding, however, that the federation had barred both countries from hosting official chess competitions.
On March 16, 2022, the world governing body of chess barred teams representing Russia and Belarus from all international competition.
On June 7, 2024, the FIDE Ethics Commission ruled to suspend the membership of the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) with the global federation for the two-year period because the RCF included as its members chess associations from the country’s new territories.
On June 26, 2024, Russia’s governing chess body filed an appeal against the decision of the FIDE Ethics Commission and requested a complete overhaul of the Ethics Commission, as well as the return of the flag and anthem to Russian athletes.
On September 13, 2024, the Appeals Chamber of the FIA Ethics Commission overturned the body's earlier decision to revoke the RCF’s membership, upholding the appeal of the Russian Chess Federation.
In July, 2025, FIDE allowed the Russian women's national team to participate in the World Team Championship under the FIDE banner while the European Chess Union (ECU) opposed this decision. The Russian team eventually won the tournament.
On December 14, 2025, FIDE ruled that "youth athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should no longer be restricted in their access to international youth competitions, in both individual and team sports… In addition, the standard protocols of the IF [International Federations] or the International Sports Event Organizer regarding flags, anthems, uniforms and other elements should apply, provided that the national sports organization concerned is in good standing.".