CAS Dismisses Appeal by Chess South Africa Regarding FIDE-Supervised Elections

CAS Dismisses Appeal by Chess South Africa, FIDE-Supervised Elections Stand

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has made a final ruling on the appeal filed by Chess South Africa (Chess SA) regarding FIDE’s decision to hold FIDE-supervised elections for the organization. CAS has dismissed the appeal, upholding FIDE’s decision to organize the elections.

The dispute dates back to early 2023 when Chess SA was suspended by the South African Sports Federation and National Olympic Committee due to internal issues. In response, FIDE appointed a “Reverse Delegate” to oversee democratic elections within Chess SA. The elections were held on November 25, 2023, and a new Executive Board, with Mr. Andre Lewaks as President, was elected.

Despite the outcome of the elections, FIDE decided to withhold recognition until all appeals were resolved. Chess SA and certain Executive Board members appealed to CAS after losing their appeal in front of the FIDE General Assembly. However, CAS ruled the appeals inadmissible due to procedural issues, stating that the Chess SA Executive Board did not have the authority to file the appeal.

With the CAS decision now final and subject to immediate execution, FIDE officially recognizes the results of the elections and wishes the new management success in advancing chess in South Africa.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport, an independent institution based in Lausanne, specializes in resolving legal disputes in the field of sports through arbitration or mediation. With nearly 300 arbitrators from 87 countries, the CAS handles around 300 cases annually.

For more information on the Court of Arbitration for Sport, visit their official website at tas-cas.org.