ECU distances itself from Wadim Rosenstein’s election campaign
The European Chess Union (ECU) has announced that it «remains institutionally neutral» regarding the upcoming International Chess Federation (FIDE) presidential election. The statement followed social media posts claiming that the incumbent ECU president had joined the campaign team of Wadim Rosenstein, one of the candidates for FIDE president.
Conflicting claims and institutional stance
The ECU statement emphasizes that the organization has not decided to support any candidate in the upcoming election.
«The European Chess Union remains institutionally neutral and committed to serving all 54 member federations,» the ECU said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Rosenstein, founder of WR Chess and a FIDE presidential candidate, posted on social media to welcome ECU President Zurab Azmaiparashvili to his team. Rosenstein described the Georgian grandmaster as one of the most experienced and respected leaders in international chess, saying his decision to join the team showed that experienced chess leaders believed in Rosenstein’s vision for FIDE’s future.
Context and the July election
The claims of a political alliance emerged against the backdrop of a recent dispute between Azmaiparashvili and Rosenstein. Ahead of the ECU leadership election held on July 18, Rosenstein actively supported an alternative team led by Bachar Kouatly, who challenged Azmaiparashvili for the presidency.
Kouatly ran on a reform-oriented platform, proposing a two-term presidential limit and a restructuring of financial distribution to provide more funding to national federations.
On July 13, just days before the ECU presidential election, Rosenstein wrote on X that there was only one team in the race that would genuinely work to bring Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, Anish Giri, Alireza Firouzja and other top chess players back to the European Individual Chess Championship and restore the tournament’s «prestige it deserves.» The remarks amounted to a direct criticism of the ECU’s existing model, as Azmaiparashvili has led the organization since 2014. According to World Chess, Rosenstein’s jab was an attempt to link the championship’s weak player lineup to «broader governance issues in European chess.»
However, in the July vote, Azmaiparashvili retained his post, comfortably securing 35 of 53 delegate votes. Another candidate, Łukasz Turlej, received 11 votes, while Kouatly, whom Rosenstein backed, received just seven.
In early September, the candidates for the FIDE presidency held a debate. Rosenstein delivered a brief opening statement before abruptly disconnecting from the broadcast, leaving before taking questions from his opponents or the moderators.
Rosenstein’s business activities have also drawn criticism from the Ukrainian Chess Federation, which has called for international sanctions against him.
In the 2026 FIDE election, Rosenstein faces German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner and Kazakhstan Chess Federation President Timur Turlov. During the debate, Turlov announced a plan to establish a development fund with more than $6 million in capital to support smaller federations.
The FIDE presidential election is scheduled for Sept. 26 during the organization’s General Assembly, held alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
