Russian-born Kazakh businessman Timur Turlov elected FIDE president

Timur Turlov, a Russian-born Kazakh businessman who remains under Ukrainian sanctions, has been elected president of the International Chess Federation, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich.

Turlov won the FIDE election on September 26 at the federation’s General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, securing 110 votes in the second round. Indian former world champion Viswanathan Anand was elected deputy president alongside him, according to Reuters. 

The 38-year-old businessman was born in Russia but renounced his Russian citizenship and became a Kazakh citizen in 2022. Ukraine imposed sanctions on Turlov that year, a measure he has repeatedly contested. Reuters has reported that he has sought to distance himself from Russia while emphasising that FIDE should comply with international sporting rulings on Russian participation.

Turlov’s path to the presidency changed after Dvorkovich, a former senior Russian government official who had led FIDE since 2018, was placed on the European Union’s sanctions list in July. Dvorkovich suspended his presidential duties and withdrew from the race, after which Turlov launched an independent campaign. Dvorkovich subsequently endorsed him.

Turlov had previously been part of Dvorkovich’s electoral team. His company, Freedom Holding Corp, has also been closely involved with FIDE: the federation made it an official partner for its 2026 chess-development programmes, while the company has provided financial support to tournaments, players, coaches and educational initiatives.

Another controversy surrounded Turlov’s proposal to give Ukraine representation in FIDE’s leadership. He invited Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, to join his team as a vice president. Podolyak accepted the proposal, while the Ukrainian Chess Federation described the move as an “attempted raid seizure.”

Reuters has also reported that Turlov presented the proposed Ukrainian representation as an effort to strengthen Ukraine’s voice within FIDE and reduce tensions over the federation’s handling of issues involving Russia.

By Tamilla Hasanova