Dvorkovich is out. The EU sanctions hit him, and the Russian oligarch immediately suspended his role as FIDE President.
Viswanathan Anand steps in. The FIDE Charter puts the burden on the former world champion, who now acts as interim leader of world chess's governing body.
This is messy. Dvorkovich took the job two years ago with promises to modernize FIDE and resolve the Carlsen-Niemann saga. Instead, geopolitics derailed him. The EU's 21st sanctions package against Russian oligarchs forced his hand. He released a statement saying he was suspending his duties immediately. No dramatic resignation letter. Just acknowledgment that continuing would be untenable.
Anand is credible. He's respected across the chess world, speaks multiple languages, and has diplomatic experience from his three world championship matches against Carlsen. But he didn't sign up for this. FIDE needs stable leadership, especially with the cycle of elite tournaments and rating reforms still in motion.
The timing is bad. Chess lost momentum under Dvorkovich's tenure and doesn't gain it back with a caretaker president managing a crisis he didn't create. Anand will hold the fort, but the federation needs a permanent replacement. Someone with real authority to tackle the problems Dvorkovich left unresolved.