FIDE FAULTY VOTING SYSTEM

I am afraid that FIDE and ICCF have a mistaken voting system. Their press releases often do not specify how many deputies participated in the vote. 

Their demagoguery is to say "majority" instead of "majority of those who participated". 

Or they declare that "P percentage voted for the decision" instead of "P percentage of those who participated voted for the decision". 

It also leads to contradictions too easily. 

Already, when FIDE sanctioned Russia in 2022, public propaganda gave the impression that the majority of FIDE member states demanded the sanctions. I am afraid that, instead, it was the majority of those who voted. In any case, it seems that the percentage of those countries that supported the sanctions was much lower than the impression made by press releases. 

Suppose that Y is the number of those who vote "Yes", N is the number of those who vote "No", and A is the number of those who are neutral, abstain or are missing. We assume that A > 0, as is usually the case. Then, obviously, 

Y/(Y + N) > Y/(Y + N + A) 

That is the basics of probability calculus and the calculus of percentages. 

FIDE and ICCF public reports of their voting results are not transparent, making political demagoguery too easy. 

I suggest that reports and relevant news include: 

1. The number of FIDE member states. 
2. The minimum number of YES-votes required to accept a decision (the quota). 
3. The number of those who were ABSENT. 
4. The numbers of YES, NO, and NEUTRAL. 

My present essay is motivated by the fact that, recently, FIDE voted on whether to annul the sanctions imposed on Russia. According to FIDE's own press releases, it managed to adapt at once to parallel decisions that conflicted with each other. See, for example: 

"Chess World Left In Limbo As FIDE's Russia Vote Ends In Chaos And Confusion",

Worldchess, 14 December 2025 

Quotations: 

"When it came to the vote, Russia's controversial motion passed by 61 in favour, to 51 against." 

"A second motion proposed by the FIDE Council also passed by 69 votes to 40." 

Note that there are around 200 member federations of FIDE, and: 

61 + 51 = 112 < 200 

69 + 40 = 109 < 200 

Note also that 200/2 = 100, and: 

61 < 100 

69 < 100 

That is, no decision was taken with an absolute majority. 

Now, let us take a look at FIDE's official statement:

"FIDE General Assembly decisions regarding Russia and Belarus", 
Fide News, 14 December 2025

Quotation: 

"In a procedural outcome, reflecting the diversity of views within the chess community, the General Assembly voted to adopt both the resolution proposed by the Chess Federation of Russia (61 votes in favour, 51 against, 14 abstentions and 15 delegates not voting) and the resolution proposed by the FIDE Council (69 votes in favour, 40 against, 15 abstentions and 17 delegates not voting)." 

However, the total number of member states is still missing, as 

61 + 51 + 14 + 15 = 141 < 200 

69 + 40 + 15 + 17 = 141 < 200 

I criticised the demagoguery and illogicality of FIDE's voting and its interpretations already on 24 September 2024. 

Terminology

FIDE - International Chess Federation

ICCF - International Correspondence Chess Federation 

ISRAEL BANNED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIAD IN INFORMATICS

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the international chess federation FIDE recently decided to continue the sanctions imposed on Russia. However, the other countries have remained with impunity (the US - for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, Israel - for the Gaza massacres of civilians).

I have repeatedly argued that international sports sanctions should be avoided. However, if such sports sanctions are unfortunately applied, it must be done consistently.

Recently, the International Olympiad in Informatics (the IOI) banned Israel. However, I do not see they have banned Russia or the US.

Here is the full text of the IOI's decision:

IOI response to the conflict in Gaza

"Members of the community requested that the IOI respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the ongoing conflict. During IOI 2024, the General Assembly debated many options at length. The question about what action to take, if any, was not taken lightly. The result was a vote to sanction Israel for its role in the crisis. Over two thirds of the delegations voted in favour of this action. Specifically, the action means that beginning in 2025, Israel will not be recognized as a participating delegation at IOI, but four contestants from Israel may still participate under the IOI flag."

While Israel was banned from the IOE with a voting majority of 67%, Russia received a "crushing defeat" - the proposal to annul FIDE sanctions on Russia was rejected with a voting majority of 54%.

CARLSEN ENDORSES POLITICIZATION OF CHESS

There is a piece of fresh news that Magnus Carlsen publicly endorsed chess sanctions on Russia and Belarus:

Tarjei J. Svensen

"Carlsen Accepts G.O.A.T. Award, Urges FIDE To Uphold Restrictions On Russia, Belarus"

ChessDotCom News, 20 September 2024 

Quotation:

"Carlsen used the moment to express humility and send a strong message against reinstating the Russian and Belarusian chess federations."

However, I have some questions:

• Why "humility" and why not "slavishness"? 
• Why impose chess sanctions against Russia and not against the US or Israel?
• Isn't it a conflict of interest if Carlsen's main rival, Karyakin, is eliminated from the competition using political arguments, and Carlsen and his coach endorse it?

WHAT CAN DAMAGE THE REPUTATION OF CHESS?

Recently, FIDE has imposed new sanctions on Russia (see also the news in the ChessDotCom section "Chess Politics").

Note that these sanctions are imposed not on the Russian chess players but on the functionaries of the Chess Federation of Russia. 

Note also that the claim that these sanctions are "conditional" is misleading. In fact, these sanctions are absolute because it is known beforehand that the Chess Federation of Russia (CFR) cannot violate the laws of Russia.

Nothing can damage the FIDE's reputation or bring chess into disrepute more than the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) itself

 

"... the CFR organizing chess events in illegally occupied parts of Ukraine."

After the Second World War, the Soviet authorities sanctioned Estonian chess grandmaster Paul Keres for participating in chess events organized by Nazi Germany.

I present only a few of my several questions here.

In 2014, in Ukraine, something like a domestic war started. Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence. Moreover, Russia occupied and annexed Crimea.

• Since 2014, when has Ukraine organized any chess events in these regions? 
• Did Ukraine organize any chess events in these regions after the Minsk agreements were made?

This is not a joke. 

If Ukraine is unable or unwilling to organize chess competitions in Crimea, and FIDE bans Russia from doing so, then who is supposed to organize chess events in Crimea, and what are FIDE's functions?