A Gentlemen’s Agreement

Speaking at a meeting of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Thursday, Deputy Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation Andrey Mikhailovich Fedorov said that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) agreed to refund Russia the sum of over €1 million for the cancellation of the Chess Olympiad, which was originally scheduled in Russia, but due to the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war, was then moved to India. “In May this year, the International Chess Federation decided to return the funds in full — amounting to over €1 million €uros”, TASS quoted Fedorov as saying. “At the moment, almost €830,000 €uros have already been transferred to the Ugra budget, it being a part of what the region allocated in connection with the holding of said event on its territory. We expect FIDE to pay back the difference in the near future”.