Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov will get to add another sports position to his resume after a chess federation unanimously elected him as its head on Monday.
The election was held in Grozny during the inaugural congress of the Chess Federation for the North Caucasus Federal District. It was unclear whether Kadyrov had any rivals for the job.
“If the federation starts developing as dynamically as the Chechen Republic, it will become a leader in the Russian Federation,” Artur Shakhmurzov, head of the chess federation of Kabardino-Balkaria, said about Kadyrov's election, the Rosbalt news agency reported.
Kadyrov follows in the footsteps of another regional head, Kalmykia's Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is the incumbent leader of the World Chess Federation. He faces tough competition to hold on to the post from former chess master Anatoly Karpov in upcoming September elections.
Kadyrov, a skilled ex-boxer, heads Chechnya's boxing federation and is president of Grozny's Terek football club. He also is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences.
He had no immediate comment about his election to the chess federation.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
