The FIDE Ethics Commission during the meetings held in Batumi, Georgia, made the decision regarding the Case no. 5/2018 – Alleged electoral irregularity in regard to the Serbian Chess Federation relating to sponsorship and substitution of delegate.
Excerpts from the decision:
Mr Cogoljevic and the Serbian Chess Federation are found guilty of a violation of art. 2.1 of the Code of Ethics (offer and acceptance of consideration with a view of influencing election into FIDE office) on the basis that the Serbian Chess Federation permitted Mr Cogoljevic’s appointment as delegate and agreed to a casting of his vote in the FIDE elections at his discretion in exchange for the conclusion of the sponsorship contract between the Serbian Chess Federation and Mr Cogoljevic’s educational institution;
Mr Dvorkovich is found not guilty on the complaint levelled against him under case no. 5/2018 for alleged violations of art. 2.1, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3 and 2.2.11 of the Code of Ethics on the basis of the absence of sufficient proof, at the level of the ETH’s comfortable satisfaction, of an involvement by Mr Dvorkovich or his representatives in the substitution of the delegate for the Serbian Chess Federation and the conclusion of the sponsorship contract between the Serbian Chess Federation and Mr Cogoljevic’s educational institution;
Mr Cogoljevic is sanctioned in terms of art. 3.2 of the Code of Ethics with a temporary exclusion as delegate of the Serbian Chess Federation in FIDE and from any participation in FIDE meetings, in particular the General Assembly meeting and Presidential elections to take place in Batumi in the period 3 – 5 October 2018 and any assignment, re-assignment or receipt of proxies, for a period of 6 (six) months.
The Serbian Chess Federation is sanctioned in terms of art. 3.2 of the Code of Ethics with a temporary exclusion from membership as a FIDE national federation member (without affecting the rights of players, arbiters, trainers and clubs belonging to the Serbian Chess Federation from participating fully in sport activity) and any participation in FIDE meetings, in particular the General Assembly meeting and Presidential elections to take place in Batumi in the period 3 – 5 October 2018 and any assignment, reassignment or receipt of proxies, for a period of 6 (six) months.
The FIDE Forward team celebrated the victory:
“An important first legal win for our FIDE forward team on ETH case 5/2018 against the methods used by our rivals: Cogoljevic is sanctioned and excluded as delegate of the Serbian Chess Federation from the FIDE elections.”
Arkady Dvorkovich also celebrated the verdict:
“The FIDE Ethics Commission regarded everything thoroughly and, of course, I am satisfied with the decision regarding both myself personally and myself as FIDE presidential candidate.”
But in a slightly contradicting tone he added: “I have questions regarding the fairness of this decision” (on Serbian Chess Federation)
Journalist Goran Urosevic, who was one of the witnesses, said:
“I am glad that another attempt of influencing the FIDE elections by non-compliant means, after the infamous Glen Stark affair which I investigated with my colleagues, has miserably failed. It is no coincidence that people from the same group have been involved in both scandals. Unfortunately, the trouble for Serbia started with the visit of Dvorkovich-Ilyumzhinov representatives on 1st August.”
