FIDE Ethics: 2-Year Ban For Kasparov, Leong

The FIDE Ethics Commission has banned Garry Kasparov and Ignatius Leong for two years from holding official FIDE positions or participating in FIDE meetings. This was announced on the FIDE website.

Here's the verdict of the FIDE Ethics Commission in full:

ETHICS COMMISSION JUDGEMENT

Upon due consideration by the Ethics Commission of the factors relevant to the sanction, including the gravity of the offence and the presence of aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the Ethics Commission imposes the following sanction:

Mr Kasparov and Mr Leong are both banned for a period of two (2) years from holding any office or position within FIDE, including its member federations, continental associations or any other affiliated international organisations, as well as participating in any FIDE meeting as delegate, proxy-holder or other representative of a FIDE member.

This ban will be effective from the period 21 October 2015 until 20 October 2017.

The judgment follows the earlier judgment of the Ethics Commission, at the FIDE Congress in Abu Dhabi, that Kasparov and Leong were found guilty of breaching the FIDE Code of Ethics for their conduct during the 2014 FIDE presidential elections.

The FIDE Ethics Commission consists of Francois Strydom of South Africa (Chairman), Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu (Romania), Pedro Dominguez Brito (Dominican Republic), Willy Iclicki (Liechtenstein) and Rajesh Hari Joshi (Nepal). Its independence is questioned.

Last month Kasparov provided the following statement to Chess.com:

“Back in Russia I got used to being falsely accused by puppet courts and this one has as little value and credibility as those. Being accused of corruption by Ilyumzhinov is like being accused of foreign aggression by Putin!

"My mission has always been to promote chess and to build the future of the game. I once hoped that could happen with FIDE, but it is clearer than ever this work will continue despite FIDE, which continues to take resources out of the sport and to drive away those who love it.”