Rosenstein calls FIDE's new leadership a 'disgrace' and denies ties to Russia
Wadim Rosenstein (photo: WR Chess)
International Chess Federation (FIDE) presidential candidate, German businessman and WR Chess founder Wadim Rosenstein, who lost to Timur Turlov in the second round of voting, rejected allegations of ties to Russia. He also claimed that the federation's new leadership retained the influence of Arkady Dvorkovich's team.
Rosenstein spoke to RBC-Ukraine about pressure during the election campaign, allegations of trade with Russia, and the situation within the chess federation.
One of the dirtiest campaigns in FIDE history
The FIDE presidential election took place on September 26 in Samarkand. In the second round, Timur Turlov defeated Wadim Rosenstein by 110 votes to 85. The German businessman described the campaign as one of the dirtiest in the International Chess Federation's history.
"Throughout the election period, I was blackmailed and threatened with the imposition of Ukrainian sanctions unless I withdrew my candidacy. I am not a politician. I am a businessman and a person unconditionally devoted to chess. There is only one thing that matters to me in this entire process – promoting chess!" Rosenstein said.
Media campaign against Rosenstein
According to Rosenstein, several Ukrainian media outlets published a series of articles about him by the same author during the summer and fall, without seeking his response to the allegations before publication.
He also said that shortly afterward, the same claims, accompanied by virtually identical figures, appeared in paid articles in English-language media outlets. Rosenstein categorically denies allegations of sanctions evasion and supplying military-related goods.
"Not a single publication has identified a specific deal, product, or item on a sanctions list. The website, cable certificates, and company in Kyrgyzstan concern companies in which I am neither a shareholder nor an executive and with which I have no connection whatsoever. This is a crude attempt at manipulation and misrepresentation of facts," he claimed.
Wadim Rosenstein (photo: WR Chess)
"Russian agent of influence" – an accusation without evidence?
Rosenstein describes the label "Russian agent of influence" as a lie unsupported by any facts.
"I have never received or carried out any instructions from the Russian authorities. The German Chess Federation endorsed my candidacy. I have publicly stated that the Court of Arbitration for Sport's rulings concerning the Russian Chess Federation must be implemented immediately," he said.
The Russian Chess Federation did not vote in the election because FIDE has suspended its membership.
WR Rus and business ties with Russia
Rosenstein also denies any connection to the Russian company WR Rus, emphasizing that he was the one who disclosed the information to Deutsche Welle.
According to him, he is not involved in managing the legal entity, which is currently under the supervision of an external administrator, and receives no dividends from it. He also says that formally withdrawing from the company's ownership is currently impossible without approval from a Russian government commission.
"WR Group has a ban on doing business with Russia. The group's companies do not enter into contracts with Russian counterparties, while previously signed agreements were fulfilled in full compliance with EU legislation. Today, WR Group operates in more than 70 markets worldwide. Yet, out of this entire geographical footprint, the authors of these publications deliberately and manipulatively single out Russia – the only piece that allows them to construct the narrative they want," the businessman added.
Rosenstein describes the deal involving the import of Italian footwear as an independent commercial transaction by the Russian company, unrelated to WR Group's German entities.
He also calls the allegations of supplies to NOVATEK "complete fabrication," saying that he "never worked directly with the company."
"The group's companies received orders from European partners, and we provided them with logistics services. I have previously published evidence of this. Most importantly, all of this concerns events from 2019–2021, yet it is being presented as though it were happening right now. At the time, these supplies complied with the legislation in force, and they were discontinued in 2021. I do not personally know the owners of these companies," he added.
Rosenstein believes the attacks against him were orchestrated by a "well-known media figure" who was paid to target him and allegedly also took money to have sanctions against Turlov lifted.
"I was born in Ukraine, in the Zhytomyr region, into a Jewish family, and I am a German citizen. For reasons I cannot understand, I am being vilified in Ukraine, while some people, on the contrary, praise Turlov, who was born in Moscow and continues to actively do business there, even though Ukraine itself has imposed sanctions on him," Rosenstein said.
FIDE election and Podolyak joining Turlov's team
Rosenstein also drew attention to the appointment of Mykhailo Podolyak to Turlov's team. In September, Podolyak accepted the new FIDE president's offer to join his team. The Ukrainian Chess Federation described the move as a hostile takeover.
"Today, following the election, we can clearly see that Turlov has retained Dvorkovich's entire team and its influence," Rosenstein said.
Turlov initially intended to run for the position of Dvorkovich's deputy and only decided to run for president himself after EU sanctions made their partnership impossible. Viswanathan Anand, Dvorkovich's former deputy, became Turlov's deputy.
"I'll go even further! It is a disgrace that FIDE is now run by Turlov and Podolyak, who have absolutely no idea how to play chess. I am ready to sit down at the chessboard with either of them at any time and show who they really are," said the WR Chess founder.
Rosenstein believes the FIDE's leadership issue is far from settled.
"I do not recognize the election results because I believe Turlov and Pein violated Article 9.7 of FIDE's electoral rules, which explicitly prohibits candidates from engaging in actions, cooperation, or collusion intended to deceive or manipulate the voting outcome. (Turlov and Malcolm Pein had a separate agreement that was discussed before the election and confirmed after the first round of voting. According to Rosenstein, this arrangement may have violated FIDE's electoral rules – Ed.). I have filed complaints with the Ethics Commission," Rosenstein said.
He also believes that "regardless of the outcome of the complaints, Turlov will soon face US and European sanctions."
"That is why I am convinced that a new FIDE presidential election will be held in the near future," Rosenstein concluded.
European Chess Union's position
Meanwhile, on October 23, the European Chess Union (ECU) Board held a meeting in Budva, Montenegro. One of the key issues discussed was the allegedly unlawful assignment of a FIDE identification code to Mykhailo Podolyak under the Ukrainian flag. The FIDE Council decided despite the objections of the Ukrainian Chess Federation.
The ECU described the FIDE leadership's actions as a serious violation of its statutes and the first instance of an identification code being assigned under a country's flag without the involvement of its national chess federation.
The European Chess Union's Board unanimously expressed its support for the Ukrainian Chess Federation. The organizations intend to file a joint protest against the decision of the FIDE General Assembly and seek its reversal.
The Ukrainian Chess Federation had previously stated that it had not authorized Podolyak to represent it within FIDE.
