- Legendary Indian chess player and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed as the interim president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
- He assumed this responsibility on July 24, 2026, after incumbent FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich temporarily suspended his duties following sanctions imposed by the European Union and Switzerland.
- Arkady Dvorkovich had been leading FIDE since 2018. Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 2012 to 2018. He was included in the European Union's 21st sanctions package, which comprises measures related to the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Consequently, he temporarily stepped aside from his obligations as FIDE President. Under FIDE's rules and administrative procedures, leadership is temporarily transferred in such situations to ensure the organization's operations remain unaffected.
- Viswanathan Anand was elected as FIDE Deputy President in August 2022. He has now clarified that he will not seek re-election for the post of Deputy President.
- However, he will continue to be part of Dvorkovich's campaign team for the elections scheduled to be held in Samarkand in September.
- Anand's chess career holds a special place in the history of Indian sports. He became India's first Grandmaster in 1988 and has won the World Chess Championship five times.
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