July 23 (Reuters) - Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), said on Friday he was suspending his activity with the organisation after being placed on the latest European Union sanctions list.
The EU's 21st sanctions package, issued in connection with Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, imposes punitive measures against 170 entities and 48 individuals. Measures could include asset freezes, travel and transaction bans.
Dvorkovich, in a statement on the FIDE website, denounced the EU move as "unlawful and unfair" and pledged to challenge it by all possible means.
"However, given that until a formal court decision is rendered and/or such decision is cancelled or amended, these sanctions could hinder the stable functioning of FIDE, I have decided to voluntarily suspend the exercise of my powers and duties as FIDE President with immediate effect..." he said.
The statement said Viswanathan Anand, an Indian world chess champion, would take over as the federation's interim president.
Dvorkovich, a former Russian deputy prime minister who has led FIDE since 2018, said last month he would seek re-election to the presidency. The election is scheduled to take place at FIDE's general assembly at September's Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The federation suspended Russia on June 11 following a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling.
Also placed on the sanctions list in the EU's package on Thursday was Mikhail Degtyarev, Russian Sports Minister and head of the country's national Olympic committee.
Degtyarev has led Russia's campaign to lift its suspension from the Olympic movement.
An International Olympic Committee spokesperson told Reuters this month that the ROC's suspension, imposed in October 2023, was lifted after the organisation removed regional sports bodies from occupied Ukrainian territories from its membership.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Nia Williams)
