Spanish grandmaster Francisco Vallejo condemned the mixing of politics and sports
Spanish grandmaster and world junior champion Francisco Vallejo condemned the sanctions against Russian sports. His words are quoted by “Championship”.
“I don’t like that sports are mixed with politics. These are two different things,” was the chess player’s assessment of what was happening. He added that he does not understand why he cannot take part in tournaments in Russia.
In November, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) extended permission for Russian and Belarusian chess players to compete under the organization’s flag. It applies to those who already act in a neutral status and will last until January 1, 2025.
In February, FIDE allowed Russian players to change their sports citizenship under an accelerated program. It was reported that Russians will be able to represent another European country in all official FIDE individual tournaments from the day after submitting their application. The decision is related to the transition of the Russian Chess Federation to the Asian Chess Federation.
Source: Lenta
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
