The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has lifted all restrictions on the Belarusian Chess Federation.
The FIDE Council said the decision follows the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on lifting restrictions on Belarusian athletes.
“In line with this recommendation, the FIDE Council resolved that all limitations previously applied to the Belarus Chess Federation are hereby removed.
As a result, Belarusian players and official teams will participate in FIDE competitions under the national flag of Belarus”, the organization’s press release says.
The first tournaments at which Belarusian chess players will be able to compete under the national flag will be the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities and the 2026 FIDE World Chess Olympiad, both of which are scheduled to take place in September in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
