MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. The Russian national chess team won the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) chess tournament which was hosted by China this month.

The Russian team secured 17 points after nine rounds of the tournament to finish in the top spot, while host China took 2nd place with 16 points. Mongolia rounded out the top three with 12 points.

The Russian national team, led by Head Coach Alexander Ryazantsev, was headlined by Daniil Dubov, Maxim Matlakov and Anastasiya Bodnaruk.

Russian sport of chess under sanctions

On February 28, 2022 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments because of the special military operation in Ukraine.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February last year, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

On March 16, 2022 the FIDE barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international tournaments. The organization, however, allowed representatives of these countries to play individually under the flag and logo of FIDE.