Russian economist and politician, as well as President of the International Chess Federation FIDE, Arkady Dvorkovich, has found himself at the center of a scandal after attending the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.
Despite Russia’s declared neutrality, Dvorkovich was spotted in the stands alongside fans dressed in clothing featuring Soviet symbols and flags of a state that no longer exists, reports Dialog.ua.
Danish grandmaster and coach of Magnus Carlsen, Peter Heine Nielsen, recognized Dvorkovich in photographs and publicly stated that the FIDE president was supporting Russian athletes, even though Russian symbols are officially banned at the Olympic Games.
This information was also confirmed by the World Chess website.
The situation drew additional attention following another incident: during the Games’ opening ceremony, a spectator brought a Russian flag into the stands and photographed it openly, despite the official ban. The International Olympic Committee later stated that fans are expected to comply with the rules, but no specific measures were taken in connection with the incident.
Dvorkovich has led FIDE since 2018. Prior to that, he held high-ranking positions in the Russian government, including serving as a presidential aide, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the supervisory board of Russian Railways.
In the 2022 FIDE presidential election, Dvorkovich received 157 votes, while his Ukrainian rival Andrii Baryshpolets received only 16 votes.
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