Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, former FIDE president from 1995 to 2018, has announced his intention to seek the organization's top job again at elections this September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In a recent interview with Sport-Express, the 63-year-old Russian said he hopes for support from Russia amid speculation of other candidates. He cited lifted U.S. sanctions and his past contributions to chess as reasons for a comeback.
Ilyumzhinov led FIDE for over two decades until scandals and U.S. sanctions in 2015 forced him aside. Those sanctions, which froze FIDE's bank accounts in 2017, were lifted last year. He stepped down in 2018, endorsing Arkady Dvorkovich, who won and later helped abolish long-term presidential limits—rules now reversed ahead of this year's vote. Dvorkovich faces re-election after serving one term extended by the changes he backed. Ilyumzhinov told interviewer Timur Ganeev that he left in 2018 to aid chess amid restrictions. He claims to have invested around $100 million of personal and friends' funds into tournaments, education, and veterans' support during his tenure. His priorities include restoring the Russian flag and anthem for players, banned after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and embedding rules against national sanctions in FIDE statutes. Ilyumzhinov reiterated his push for chess in the Olympics, recalling near-miss negotiations for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games. He receives ongoing pleas from federations worldwide, believing many still view him as president, and says he is assembling a team of vice-presidents and officials. However, he stressed Russia's nomination is essential. No other candidates have declared yet for the Tashkent General Assembly.