Professional Governance
Run FIDE like the serious, global sporting body it claims to be.
Chess deserves leadership that meets international sporting standards with transparent decisions, ethical conduct, and professional expertise.
Learn more →BetterFIDE
Chess deserves better.
Chess has experienced an unprecedented global renaissance. Millions of new players have joined the game. Young talents are breaking through from all over the world. Major events have streaming audiences that rival traditional sports.
Yet the International Chess Federation has failed to capitalize on this moment. FIDE is plagued by poor communication and disclosure. Players are chronically undercompensated and whiplashed with unpredictable regulations and scheduling. Fans cannot keep up with constant world championship cycle changes. Persistent problems with harassment drive women from the game.
Three Pillars of Reform
Player
Advocacy
Player success is essential to future growth.
Players are the future of the game and should have a formal voice in governance, protection from exploitation, and sustainable career paths.
Learn more →Commercial Excellence
A global game deserves global investment.
Chess is squandering a modern renaissance. Professional sponsorship development and media rights expertise can transform the game's economics.
Learn more →Professional Governance
Run chess like a serious, global sport.
Professional Administrative Leadership
Hire qualified sports executives, not political
appointees.
The Problem
Leadership positions are selected for political connections rather than sports administration expertise. Excellence in chess or a passion for the game is not a qualification for running a multi-million-dollar global sports federation.
The Solution
Professional administrators with credentials in sports management, business development, and international governance. Executive roles should be filled based on expertise, not political relationships.
Predictable Tournament Calendar & Time Controls
End the whiplash of last-minute announcements and
inconsistent formats.
The Problem
Players and organizers face constant schedule changes, format inconsistencies, and inadequate lead time. This unpredictability undermines professional planning for everyone involved.
The Solution
Schedule major FIDE events at least one year in advance. Announce locations, prize pools and time controls at least 180 days before event start. Changes to the world championship cycle should be the exception, not the norm.
Financial Transparency & Responsibility
Publish timely audited financials with detailed
reporting
The Problem
FIDE's most recent audited financial statements are FY2023 (released April 2024) - almost 2 years ago. Published reports lack the detail needed to understand how funds are spent. Budget documents reveal deeper concerns: major sponsorship deals have fallen through, bad debt has accumulated year over year, and the organization operates without meaningful financial reserves.
The Solution
Commit to a fixed publication deadline for financial reporting that is no later than Q1 following each fiscal year. Provide detailed expense breakdowns by category and initiative. Build reserves sufficient to cover at least six months of operating costs. Disclose sponsorship status and bad debt clearly in quarterly updates.
Governance That Can't Be Gamed
Make reforms that stick and rules that mean what they
say.
The Problem
FIDE's governance structures look sound on paper but have proven vulnerable in practice.
- In December 2023, the General Assembly voted to eliminate presidential term limits just three years after they were introduced. Charter amendments require a two-thirds majority, but this barrier proved insufficient to protect a foundational reform from rapid reversal.
- In 2024, an Ethics Commission ruling on Russian participation in events was reduced on appeal, prompting the First Instance Chairman to resign. The Commission's jurisdiction was subsequently challenged at the General Assembly. Without structural protections, any commission risks having its authority questioned after controversial decisions.
- Ambiguous regulatory language has enabled conflicting interpretations of approval requirements. When the IOC stated it would not take a position on Russian team participation outside of Olympic competition, this was characterized as a "non-objection letter." While FIDE's decision is clearly against the spirit of the IOC's position, vague drafting invites disputes that clear language would prevent.
The Solution
- Recent constitutional changes should require a cooling-off period before reversal, ensuring reforms have time to function before they can be undone.
- Commission jurisdiction should be structurally protected, so that authority is not contingent on whether recent decisions proved popular.
- Regulations should use precise language that defines key terms, specifies approval requirements, and minimizes room for conflicting interpretations.
- Meeting minutes, voting records, and decision rationales should be published promptly and completely.
Professional Fair Play Approach
Establish predictable and trustworthy processes that serve
justice
The Problem
High-profile cheating allegations have exposed serious process weaknesses. Investigations drag on without resolution. Accused players face public suspicion with no clear path to vindication. Without a trusted private reporting system, accusers face a difficult choice: stay silent or go public and risk defamation liability. When official processes fail, individuals resort to witch hunts and speculation: a symptom of lost trust in the governing body's ability to protect fair play.
The Solution
Clear timelines for investigations and decisions. Confidential reporting mechanisms. National federation coordination. Sophisticated detection technology. Due process protections for the accused. Serious consequences for unfounded public accusations.
Player Advocacy
Player success is essential to future growth.
Player Representation & Cooperation
Transform the Athletes' Commission from advisory body to
genuine stakeholder with binding voting power enshrined in
the FIDE Charter.
The Problem
FIDE created its Athletes' Commission (ATH) in May 2020, shortly after the IOC required International Federations to establish such bodies. FIDE's own announcement noted that "the figure of an Athletes Commission is common among members and stakeholders of the Olympic movement"—framing that suggests compliance rather than genuine commitment to player empowerment.
The commission's structure reflects this origin. Five of fifteen members are appointed by FIDE Council rather than elected by players. The Handbook defines ATH's function as advisory, and while the chair reportedly has Council voting power, this right is not enshrined in the FIDE Charter—leaving it as an informal arrangement that can be withdrawn at any time.
The Solution
Enshrine athlete voting rights in the FIDE Charter. Two elected athletes should hold guaranteed voting seats on FIDE Council. All fifteen ATH members should be player-elected, removing Council's power to appoint one-third of the body meant to represent player interests.
Expand the a subset of the electorate beyond World Championship Cycle participants to include all active titled players (GM, IM, WGM, WIM) who have competed in FIDE-rated events within the past two years. Dedicate a percentage of tournament licensing fees to ATH-sponsored initiatives.
Specific Powers to Establish
- Guaranteed Council votes: Two elected athlete directors with full voting rights, codified in the Charter.
- Mandatory consultation: No changes to tournament regulations, rating rules, transfer fees, or the competition calendar without a 60-day comment period for formal ATH input.
- Full electoral independence: All fifteen ATH members elected by players.
- Prize fund transparency: Authority to request and publish financial breakdowns of FIDE-sanctioned events.
- Fair Play liaison: Athlete representation in anti-cheating policy development, ensuring due process protections.
Livable Player Earnings
Ensure tournaments don't cost more to attend than players
can win.
The Problem
Many events result in net losses for traveling players. Only elite players can sustain careers on tournament earnings. Most professional players subsidize careers through coaching or other employment.
The Solution
FIDE events should cover reasonable travel and accommodation costs. Prize structures must account for participation costs. The goal: ensure that attending a FIDE event is not a financial penalty for participants.
Women's Chess & Safe Environment
End harassment. Enforce consequences. Create genuine
inclusion.
The Problem
Documented harassment drives women from chess. Over 100 players signed a 2023 statement on sexism and abuse. Top players have publicly described their experiences. The achievement gap reflects exclusion, not capability.
The Solution
- Clear consequences for harassment — with actual enforcement
- Recognition that achievement gaps reflect exclusion, not capability
- Incentivize women's participation in open tournaments, especially junior events
- Safe, trustworthy, reporting mechanisms with retaliation protection
- Prize funds that, over time, incentivize gender integration in the sport
Commercial Excellence
A global game deserves global investment.
Global Sponsorship Development
Build professional commercial capacity to attract and
retain global sponsors.
The Problem
General sponsorship revenue has collapsed with limited public explanation and reveals inadequate commercial capacity. Sponsorship is sought on an event-by-event basis.
The Solution
Hire dedicated commercial staff with sports marketing expertise. Develop a public, cohesive sponsor strategy focusing on long-term partnership development rather than transactional engagement. Increase transparency in reporting on commercial activities and revenue.
National Federation Partnership
Transform fee collection into genuine development
partnership.
The Problem
Transactional relationships dominate. Many federations, especially smaller ones, lack the resources, expertise, and infrastructure to fully leverage their FIDE membership for local chess development.
The Solution
Extend tiered partnerships beyond fee waivers. Provide resources to federations for local sponsorship development and capacity building. Encourage best practice sharing across federations. Improve visibility into how fees flow from players to federations to FIDE.
Fan & Spectator Experience
Build a product that serves enthusiasts, casual fans, and
partners alike.
The Problem
Chess has never been more popular, but FIDE lacks a cohesive marketing strategy to turn that popularity into sustainable value for the organization, for federations, and for the sport. Streamers and influencers have built massive audiences around chess, yet FIDE treats them as peripheral (or worse, competition) rather than central to the game's growth.
The Solution
Develop a public media and marketing strategy that works with the ecosystem, not around it. Engage creators as partners with aligned incentives. Build a product that serves both active players and casual fans. Use that broader reach to drive predictable sponsorship revenue—then reinvest in events, development, and the game itself.
Targeted International Growth
Replicate success stories with documented strategy for
underserved regions.
The Problem
A number of countries have built successful chess development programs in the modern era, but their methods aren't systematically documented or shared. FIDE has no public playbook for federations seeking to replicate what works.
The Solution
Document proven models. Create resources federations can adapt to local conditions. Shift from passive membership to active knowledge-sharing—make FIDE the place federations turn to for development strategy, not just ratings and titles.
Proven Development Models
- School integration: Armenia made chess mandatory in public schools (grades 2-4)—the first country to do so. India's school chess programs helped produce a generation of elite juniors including world champion Gukesh.
- State investment: Uzbekistan and Vietnam made chess a strategic national priority with funded training infrastructure, yielding top-20 players within a generation.
- Grassroots innovation: Tunde Onakoya's Chess in Slums model in Nigeria shows high-impact community development without waiting for government support.
- Online-first growth: Rapid expansion in Latin America and Southeast Asia through online play, creating pathways outside traditional federation structures.