Russian chess grandmaster Sergey Karjakin will be suspended from competition for six months for his public support of Ukraine's invasion, the International Chess Federation announced Monday.
''The statements by Sergey Karjakin on the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine has led to a considerable number of reactions on social media and elsewhere, to a large extent negative towards the opinions expressed by Sergey Karjakin,'' the federation stated.
The organization says Karjakin, 32, violated its Code of Ethics, which holds that the federation not be portrayed in an ''unjustifiable unfavorable light'' that could ''in this way damage its reputation.''
Shortly after Ukraine's invasion, the Crimea-born Karjakin issued a statement on social media to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing his support of Russia's efforts to rid Kyiv of its ''Nazi'' regime.
''An expected, but no less shameful decision by FIDE,'' Karjakin wrote in response to the federation, according to The Hill.
''All sports selections have been trampled, the basic principle that sport is out of politics has been trampled,'' he added. ''Most importantly, first of all I am a patriot of my country and only second of all I am an athlete. If I thought back to the situation when I supported the president of Russia, the people and the army I would have done the same thing! I don't regret anything.''
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