Kremlin says chess federation should stay out of politics, overturn ban

The Kremlin said on Tuesday the International Chess Federation (FIDE) should stay out of politics and demanded it annul its decision to ban Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin from competition for six months over his stance on Ukraine.

The FIDE announced its decision on Monday. The 32-year-old Karjakin, who challenged Magnus Carlsen for the world title in 2016, has defended his country’s actions on social media in recent weeks, drawing intense criticism from the chess world.