African Federations Crucial in World Chess Elections

On 26 September, approximately two hundred national federations will gather at the General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to vote for the World Chess president. Africa, with 51 of its 54 countries as members, holds a significant voting bloc.

Candidates must file a complete ticket and secure endorsements from five to eight member federations across all continents to qualify for the ballot. Timur Turlov, the 38-year-old founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., is a leading candidate.

He has been involved with the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since January 2023 and has committed over $15 million annually to chess initiatives. His financial resources and influence are unmatched among rivals.

The previous president, Arkady Dvorkovich, is contesting a listing by the European Union that cites his past as a Russian deputy prime minister. Dvorkovich suspended his powers but is challenging the listing's legality.