The world of chess has been thrown into turmoil after the president of the International Chess Federation (Fide), Arkady Dvorkovich, said he was stepping aside because he was included on the European Union’s latest sanctions list.

Dvorkovich, 54, a former deputy prime minister of Russia and adviser to the Kremlin, now faces an EU travel ban and asset freeze.

The EU said his inclusion was due to “publicly supporting the annexation of Crimea and calling occupied Ukrainian cities ‘new territories’ of the Russian Federation”.

In a statement, Dvorkovich said he had decided to “voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties”, external, but told the BBC he had not resigned.

He called the sanctions decision “unlawful and unfair” and said the sanctions were meant “to prevent me from running and serving for Fide”.

Ukraine has hailed the move as “an important victory”.

Dvorkovich was first elected as Fide President in 2018, and re-elected in 2022.

The EU also cited his presence on the board of the Chess Federation of Russia, external, which has organised tournaments in occupied areas of Ukraine.

“We hope never to see this man in the chess world again,” said Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation. “People who develop sport in the interests of an aggressor state have no place in senior international positions.”

Malcolm Pein, England’s representative to Fide, described the move as “an earthquake and a massive diplomatic victory for Ukraine”.

“It may significantly reduce Russia’s influence in the world of chess, something which – formerly the USSR and then Russia – has dominated and used as a tool of soft power since the Second World War,” he told the BBC.

Arkady Dvorkovich has overseen the federation during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the game.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, Russian national teams were banned from international chess competitions.

But Ukraine and its allies say Russian influence within Fide has intensified under Dvorkovich’s leadership.

Moscow has been accused of carrying out a “slow takeover” of the federation, changing its internal rules and putting pressure on other nations’ officials to vote in Russia’s favour, which Moscow denies.

Two years ago, with Dvorkovich at the helm, an attempt was made to officially re-admit Russian teams and officials. But in a crucial vote in September 2024, the Fide general assembly opted to maintain sanctions against Russia and its ally, Belarus.

Volodymyr Kovalchuk argues Russia invested heavily in controlling the federation. “They believed chess represented intellectual superiority. That’s why it matters so much who controls it: through Fide, ideas favourable [to Moscow] were being promoted,” he said.

That was disputed by Arkady Dvorkovich, who told the BBC in written answers, that “accusations about ‘Russian influence’ are false and contradicted by how Fide is governed.”

“Fide is based in Switzerland… our top executives include people from India, Norway, Latvia, the US, Italy, France… and other countries around the globe.”

The former Kremlin official had intended to run for re-election as head of Fide in September, but his future is now uncertain.

Chess is booming worldwide, with sky-high audience figures driving big sponsorship deals and celebrity status for players such as Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen.

But speculation is now swirling that the possible departure of one of the most powerful and controversial figures in international chess could herald a new era in the game’s leadership.