– It would go from bad to worse. It is a pure disaster for Russia, and now it is already a disaster, says news’s chess expert Atle Grønn about Karjakin potentially becoming chess president in Russia. On Saturday morning, the Russian himself confirms that he is standing for election as president of the association after being nominated by the Chechen Chess Federation. Karjakin publishes the news on the social media Telegram. TEAM PUTIN: Karjakin is open about being Putin’s man. Photo: Screenshot / Twitter – I can guarantee that I will do my best to improve the activities in all areas of the Russian Chess Federation, writes the chess player in a statement. Karjakin has subsequently become a very controversial man after making several statements of support for Vladimir Putin and his regime since the invasion of Ukraine. Fearing major consequences for chess Magnus Carlsen’s previous WC opponents were quickly banned by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), which led to him not having participated in international tournaments for the past nine months. The ban is now over, but there is no indication that he is back in the heat of international chess anytime soon. 2016: Karjakin was Carlsen’s World Cup opponent in 2016. Photo: MARK KAUZLARICH / Reuters With that background, Grønn believes that Karjakin is a candidate that Putin and his supporters can appreciate. Nevertheless, the chess expert believes that a possible victory for Karjakin could have major consequences for international chess. – Then Fide chess and the chess federation will fall, and the Russian leadership will fall, but I don’t think this is entirely real (Karjakin says). It all depends on whether there are some strong men in Putin’s inner circle who stand behind Karjakin, says Grønn. Today, it is Andrej Filatov who is the supreme leader of the association. Things indicate that he will stand for re-election and that he will be the only challenger. – Filatov is also Putin’s man, so normally Filatov would be completely safe. But it may well be that the Chechens and Karjakin know that they have the support of very powerful warmongers in the Putin regime, Grønn says. – Standing between two evils He believes this election shows that there is a power struggle and intrigues within Russia. – It’s between two evils, you could say. Karjakin and the Chechens are the most rabid. But Filatov isn’t exactly an angel either, he says. The expert believes that who wins is largely decided from the highest level in Russia. SKEPTICAL: Atle Grønn. Photo: Fredrik Hagen / NTB – Putin’s inner circle decides here, but the other camp also consists of people who are loyal to Putin. The second camp has dominated and ruled Russian chess for decades, he points out. But what could a possible new president in Karjakin mean for Norway? Very little, says Acting President of the Norwegian Chess Association, Anniken Vestby. – Russian national teams are banned from Fide, so if Karjakin were to become the new president of the Russian federation, it would not have any practical significance for either the Norwegian Chess Federation or chess in general, Vestby claims to news. She recalls that the association has announced that Karjakin and other chess players who openly support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will not be allowed to participate in Norwegian tournaments.
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