分类： sports

The global chess community is grappling with sudden upheaval after Arkady Dvorkovich, the sitting president of the International Chess Federation (Fide), announced he would voluntarily suspend his official duties after being added to the European Union’s latest package of sanctions targeting individuals linked to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

The 54-year-old, a former Russian deputy prime minister and one-time Kremlin advisor, now faces a full EU travel ban and an asset freeze over his public positions on Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. EU officials confirmed his inclusion on the sanctions list stems from his public support of the annexation, including referring to occupied Ukrainian cities as “new territories” of the Russian Federation. The bloc also noted that Dvorkovich serves on the board of the Chess Federation of Russia, which has organized competitive tournaments in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.

In an official statement, Dvorkovich clarified that he is stepping back from his day-to-day powers and responsibilities but has not formally resigned from his post. He called the EU’s sanctions designation “unlawful and unfair”, claiming the measures were deliberately implemented to bar him from continuing to lead and run for re-election at Fide. Dvorkovich also pushed back against widespread claims that Russia has wielded outsized influence over Fide during his tenure, arguing that the federation’s governance structure contradicts these accusations. “Fide is based in Switzerland… our top executives include people from India, Norway, Latvia, the US, Italy, France… and other countries around the globe,” he noted in written responses to the BBC.

Ukrainian officials and chess leaders have celebrated the sanctions and Dvorkovich’s suspension as a significant diplomatic win. Volodymyr Kovalchuk, first vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, stated that individuals who develop sport in service of an invading aggressor state have no place holding senior international leadership roles, adding that Ukraine hopes Dvorkovich never returns to a position of influence in global chess. Kovalchuk also argued that Moscow has long invested heavily in controlling Fide, framing chess as a symbol of Russian intellectual superiority and using the federation to promote narratives favorable to the Kremlin.

Malcolm Pein, the British Fide representative, described the development as “an earthquake and a massive diplomatic victory for Ukraine”. He noted that for nearly 80 years, first the Soviet Union and then Russia have dominated international chess and used it as a key tool of soft power, and Dvorkovich’s suspension could substantially reduce Moscow’s influence in the global chess ecosystem.

Dvorkovich was first elected to the Fide presidency in 2018 and won a second term in 2022, leading the federation through one of the most turbulent eras in the history of the sport. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian national chess teams were banned from most top international competitions. However, Ukraine and its Western allies have alleged that Russian influence within Fide actually grew under Dvorkovich’s leadership, with Moscow pushing a “slow takeover” of the governing body by revising internal rules and pressuring delegates from other nations to support pro-Russia positions – a claim Moscow has repeatedly denied.

In 2024, a push led by pro-Russia factions to re-admit Russian national teams and officials to Fide competition failed, when the federation’s general assembly voted in September to maintain existing sanctions against Russia and its ally Belarus. Dvorkovich had been expected to run for a third term as Fide president at the organization’s upcoming general assembly in September, but his political future in global chess is now uncertain.

In recent years, competitive chess has experienced unprecedented global growth, with record audience numbers drawing major corporate sponsorships and elevating top players like Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen to household name status. Now, industry observers are widely speculating that the potential permanent departure of one of the most powerful and divisive figures in international chess could open the door to a new era of leadership for the sport.

In his first official public appearance as Manchester City’s newly appointed head coach, Enzo Maresca has delivered two key updates for the Premier League giants: confirming star midfielder Rodri will undergo urgent back surgery next week, and quelling widespread transfer speculation by reaffirming the Ballon d’Or winner remains part of the club’s long-term plans.

The announcement of Rodri’s upcoming procedure caps a turbulent 12 months for the Spanish international, who already navigated an ACL injury in 2024 that disrupted his entire club campaign. Despite the fitness setback, Rodri emerged as a driving force behind Spain’s 2024 World Cup triumph, cementing his status as one of the most influential midfielders in global football. Maresca declined to specify a timeline for Rodri’s recovery from his latest back issue, but made clear the club has no intention of allowing their talisman to leave.

“Big players always attract speculation, that’s just part of the game, and I’m not concerned about it,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “After winning the World Cup, of course every top club will be linked to one of the best players in the world. Any manager would jump at the chance to sign Rodri, he’s a generational talent. But right now, the focus is on his surgery scheduled for Monday. He needs time to rest, recover, and heal properly. When he’s ready, he’ll be back with this squad.”

Maresca’s introductory press conference came just weeks after the departure of Pep Guardiola, the iconic manager who stepped down at the end of the 2023-24 season after an unprecedented eight-year reign of success at the Etihad Stadium. Across his tenure at City, Guardiola claimed 17 major honours, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first-ever Champions League crown in 2023. With 35 major trophies collected across stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in football history.

For 46-year-old Maresca, taking the helm at City marks a homecoming rather than an entirely new chapter. The Italian coach previously cut his teeth at the club as an academy coach during the 2020-21 season, before stepping up to serve as Guardiola’s assistant for the 2022-23 campaign – the historic treble-winning season where City claimed the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. After two recent senior management spells at Leicester City and Chelsea, Maresca said returning to City felt like coming full circle.

“It is an absolute privilege to be asked to lead this club,” Maresca said. “I’ve said many times before that Pep is the best manager of the last 20 to 25 years, and stepping into his role is a huge challenge – but it’s one I embrace wholeheartedly. I think the club chose me because my tactical philosophy aligns closely with the foundations built here. We want to keep playing aggressive, possession-based football that imposes our will on opponents. At the end of the day, that’s what matters: winning matches and continuing this club’s incredible run of success.”

One of the most decorated club football managers of the modern era, Pep Guardiola, has formally declined an offer to take the helm of the Italian men’s national football team, ending weeks of speculation surrounding his next career move following his departure from Manchester City this summer.

Guardiola wrapped up a historic 10-year tenure with Manchester City in May, leaving the club after securing an unparalleled 17 major trophies during his time in charge. Since exiting the Premier League side, the Spanish coach has been open about his plan to step away from top-flight football to take an extended break, prioritizing rest, quality time with family, and travel.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) nonetheless launched an aggressive pursuit to convince Guardiola to change his plans. Earlier this week, FIGC president Giovanni Malago confirmed that official talks had taken place with the recently departed City boss, revealing that the governing body was prepared to make extraordinary exceptions to its salary structure to accommodate his demands. According to people familiar with the negotiations, FIGC representatives also offered Guardiola full autonomy to structure the head coach role to his own specifications, a major concession designed to lure one of the game’s most successful tacticians.

The pursuit of Guardiola came after the FIGC’s first target, legendary Italian former midfielder Carlo Ancelotti, turned down the opportunity. FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini confirmed Thursday that the federation first approached Ancelotti, who currently serves as head coach of the Brazil men’s national team. Ancelotti ultimately chose to remain in his current post with the Brazilian FA, opening the door for the FIGC to turn to Guardiola.

Despite the generous terms and the high-profile vacancy, Guardiola opted to stick to his original plan for a career break, formally informing the FIGC of his decision to decline the offer this week. The Italian national team has faced significant struggles in recent major tournaments, having failed to qualify for three consecutive FIFA World Cups, leaving the federation eager to hire a top-tier manager to turn the program’s fortunes around.

With Guardiola out of the running, former Italy international playmaker Andrea Pirlo has now emerged as the clear frontrunner for the role. Pirlo currently serves as head coach of Dubai-based United FC, and if appointed, he would immediately face a stiff test: guiding Italy through a tough Nations League group this autumn, where the side is matched against powerhouse opponents France, Belgium, and Turkey, before leading the team’s qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2028.

Three weeks after Germany’s shocking 2026 World Cup penalty shootout exit at the hands of Paraguay triggered the resignation of head coach Julian Nagelsmann and plunged German football into a full-blown identity crisis, legendary German manager Jurgen Klopp has stepped forward to take on the high-stakes role of national team head coach. The 59-year-old, who earned global acclaim and a reputation as a transformational leader during his trophy-laden tenure at Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, has signed a four-year contract that will see him guide Germany through Euro 2028 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Klopp’s first match in charge of Die Mannschaft is scheduled for September 24 against long-time rivals the Netherlands, kicking off the team’s Nations League campaign. To build out his coaching staff, the new manager has tapped his former Liverpool assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, a move that has raised hopes among German fans that the trio can replicate the magic that turned Liverpool from a underperforming giant into a Champions League and Premier League title winner.

In comments after the deal was finalized, Klopp emphasized the unique power of the national team to unify the German public. “The national team can unite us Germans like almost nothing else. That’s precisely what makes this task so special for me,” he said. German Football Association (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf made clear that Klopp was the association’s undisputed top target from the moment Nagelsmann stepped down, with the DFB pursuing the manager relentlessly to secure his signature. Neuendorf argued Klopp “embodies passion, credibility, and the ability to inspire people” that German football desperately needs right now.

Proponents of the appointment point to Klopp’s decades-long track record of building unified, high-energy teams that outperform expectations, as well as his natural ability to connect with supporters — two qualities that critics have repeatedly said the German national team has lacked in recent years. Germany has failed to advance past the round of 16 in the last three consecutive World Cups, leaving the program at its lowest ebb in decades, with widespread criticism of a persistent lack of winning mentality and fractured connection between the team and its fanbase.

Klopp, who has long centered his coaching philosophy on building what he calls “mentality monsters” and became a cult favorite at every club he has led, looks on paper like the perfect fix for these problems. A recent poll conducted by leading German football outlet *Kicker* found that 80% of respondents believe Klopp is the right person for the job. Former Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg has said he expects Klopp to inject a “new spirit of optimism” into the program, while Borussia Dortmund CEO Carsten Cramer argued the manager’s positive influence could extend beyond the pitch, saying “he embodies a lot of the things that our football and our country are missing right now.”

Despite this broad public support, Klopp’s appointment has ignited fierce controversy across German football. The core point of contention stems from Klopp’s 2024 move to take on the role of head of global soccer for Red Bull, a decision many German fans view as a betrayal of the country’s long-standing football values. Red Bull’s multi-club ownership model has long been criticized in Germany for violating the 50+1 rule, a core regulation that guarantees majority supporter voting control and protects the fan-centric identity of German clubs. Recent reports that Klopp intends to retain his position as a Red Bull brand ambassador while serving as Germany’s head coach have sparked widespread outrage.

Former DFB president Theo Zwanziger told the *Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung* that retaining ties to Red Bull would be “an absolute no-go”, arguing the company “want to win power inside the sport”. Prominent fan group Unsere Kurve has accused the DFB of “kowtowing to capital” by allowing the arrangement to move forward. Group spokesperson Thomas Kessen noted that Klopp has squandered significant goodwill among German fans, particularly supporters of Borussia Dortmund, through his ties to Red Bull. Even some prominent figures within German football have questioned the DFB’s decision to fast-track Klopp’s hiring without considering other candidates. 2014 World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger, speaking as a pundit for broadcaster ARD, pointed out that the DFB’s rush to send a delegation to New York to finalize the deal felt unplanned and hectic, arguing Klopp may only serve as a “band-aid” for systemic problems that run far deeper than the head coaching position.

Klopp himself has acknowledged that German football needs far more than just a new manager to return to glory. “I have said many times that it’s not just about the head coach,” he told broadcaster MagentaTV earlier this month. “German football as a whole is facing a turning point, we have to change some fundamental things.”

In a fitting twist of fate, Klopp’s first major test as Germany manager will come at Euro 2028, co-hosted by the UK and Ireland. While his beloved former club Liverpool’s Anfield stadium will not serve as a host venue, Klopp could return to Merseyside for matches at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium. By the time that tournament kicks off, fans across Germany and the global football community will have a much clearer answer to the question hanging over this appointment: can the man who saved Liverpool work the same miracle for German football?