I DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE DECISION OF THE ESTONIAN CHESS FEDERATION

Look at the sports news:

"Chess At War: Rebel Federations Take FIDE's Russia Decision To CAS" 
World Chess News, 06 January 2026

Quotation:

"This week the national federations England, Norway, Estonia and Germany announced they have collectively filed an appeal with Ukraine to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIDE. Their complaint is about the FIDE General Assembly's decision to readmit fully Russia and Belarusia into chess team sport and allow their symbols to be used."

I am an Estonian citizen, a sufficiently strong chess player, and a philosopher, and I have to announce the following:

1. I am strongly against politicizing sports. 
2. I am even more strongly against politicizing sports in a selective, discriminatory manner.

For example, the US chess players or chess institutions have not been sanctioned for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars that the US started and kept for decades.

The Israeli chess players or chess institutions have not been sanctioned for the Gaza genocide committed by Israel. 

Moreover, look at the phrase "full-scale invasion" in the article:

"The Russia/Belarus question has been bitterly dividing the chess world since, in the aftermath of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022."

The question is about why they never called the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq "full-scale invasions". It is obvious that these invasions were full-scale - if that word has any meaning at all.

Moreover, look at the complaint that FIDE has violated its rules, etc. According to the article, in its public statement, the Norwegian Chess Federation said: 

"The Appellants submit that the challenged resolutions were adopted following serious procedural irregularities, including violations of the FIDE Charter and fundamental principles of transparent and lawful decision-making within international sports governance."

You have no self-respect whatsoever.

When FIDE, in 2022, decided to impose sanctions on Russia, the decision-making process was already not transparent. 

Moreover, FIDE changed its rules ad hoc - solely to be able to impose sanctions on Russia.

These are the facts.

In sum, I am of the opinion that the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were completely unjustified; the Russian invasion of Ukraine was better justified, but also not sufficiently justified (taking into account the principle of proportionality and the large numbers of war victims); and the sports sanctions imposed on Russia were unjustified and discriminatory.

This is my opinion about those chess pederations who are trying hard to weaponize sports. 

The officials of Estonian 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%.