Wadim Rosenstein published a letter of gratitude to Former FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov on his X. Rosenstein thanks Ilyumzhinov for his contribution to the development and popularization of chess. Wadim notes that his team plans to award Kirsan the title of Honorary President of FIDE.

Wadim Rosenstein

Wadim Rosenstein

WR Chess CEO

“Dear Kirsan Nikolayevich!

Please accept our sincere gratitude for your significant contribution to the development and popularization of chess. Your many years of work as President of FIDE have created real opportunities for the growth of the modern chess school and elevated the prestige of this sport on the international stage.

Thanks to your efforts, important projects have been realized. From educational initiatives to large-scale tournaments that brought together representatives from different countries. We particularly wish to highlight the initiatives that have gained momentum thanks to your support.

We greatly value your energy, strategic vision, and willingness to support the chess community in various corners of the world. And therefore, we wish to inform you that our team intends to restore historical justice and award you the high title of FIDE Honorary President.”

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is a Russian entrepreneur and politician. He served as the President of FIDE from 1995 to 2018. Ilyumzhinov was stripped of his executive powers in 2017 and formally stepped down in 2018. The reason for the end of his term was that the U.S. government placed him on a financial blacklist for political reasons.

Credit: Wadim Rosenstein X