What Happens When Chess Goes to Court
If you've been following the chess world's ongoing civil war over Russia, you saw the news: five federations just "took FIDE to CAS." Ukraine, England, Norway, Estonia, and Germany have filed an appeal against the decision to let Russia and Belarus back into team competitions with full national symbols.
But what does that actually involve? Who pays? Can anyone do this? Do the judges wear those British wigs?
What Is This Place?
The Court of Arbitration for Sport sits in Lausanne, Switzerland and functions as the Supreme Court for athletic disputes. Doping bans, transfer sagas, eligibility fights, and now, apparently, whether Russia gets to wave its flag at the Chess Olympiad.
Why Lausanne and not, say, a court in Berlin? Because FIDE's own statutes require it. When federations join, they agree that disputes go to CAS. A German court might refuse to hear the case entirely. This is the only game in town.
CAS decisions are binding and essentially final. There's technically an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but they almost never overturn—only for fundamental procedural violations, not because they disagree. When CAS rules, that's it.
Can Anyone File?
No. You need standing—your business, your problem.
National federations affected by a FIDE decision? Yes. Players whose rights are directly impacted? Sometimes. Chess fans who are just mad online? No.
The five federations here all voted against the motions at the General Assembly. They showed up, they lost, they're claiming the game was rigged. Textbook standing. Other federations can file supporting statements without being co-appellants—Norway's already inviting them.
What Does It Cost?
Filing fee: 1,000 Swiss francs. Non-refundable cover charge.
Arbitrator fees for a three-person panel reviewing extensive briefs and holding a hearing: 30,000–100,000 CHF.
Lawyers who specialize in sports law handling a high-profile, politically radioactive case: 100,000–300,000 CHF. Per side.
Total for the five federations: probably €150,000–200,000. It’s certainly a big deal for federations — some of them are backed by governments and they probably had to seek permission for this kind of expense. Legal costs often are a huge benefit for an institution such as FIDE because 99 per cent of opponents will not have the money to take them to court, even when they feel that they are right.
Losers don't automatically pay winners' costs. CAS can order a contribution, but it's discretionary. Filing is a bet either way.
Any Wigs?
No wigs. CAS arbitrators dress like lawyers in business attire, occasionally with the kind of Swiss watch that costs more than your car.
Three arbitrators per case: each side picks one from a roster of about 400 specialists, those two agree on a president. Former judges, law professors, sports law practitioners—people who know what a General Assembly procedural violation means without needing a tutorial.
Hearings are more seminar than courtroom. No jury, no gallery. Lawyers argue, arbitrators ask questions. Think conference room, not "Law & Order."
What Are the Federations Actually Arguing?
Not that FIDE's decision was wrong—that the process was broken.
"Serious procedural irregularities": the vote violated FIDE's Charter, the two motions contradicted each other, the secret ballot was improper, delegates lacked information. The argument isn't "Russia is bad." It's "even if Russia should be readmitted, this wasn't the legal way to do it."
Smart. CAS is more comfortable with process than politics. "The vote was unfair" gives them standards. "Russia shouldn't play" gives them a headache.
They're also invoking IOC recommendations from 2023, reaffirmed last December, calling for restrictions on Russian symbols and teams. The pitch: the entire sports world agreed on a framework, and FIDE ignored it.
Is FIDE Worried?
They haven't commented. But CAS has ruled against major governing bodies before, including the IOC. They're not a rubber stamp.
FIDE has some cover—CAS defers to internal governance and doesn't like micromanaging federations. If they can show the vote was reasonable, even imperfect, they might win.
The wildcard: CAS has spent three years on Russian sanctions across sports. They know the IOC framework cold. Letting FIDE ignore it might set a precedent they're not comfortable with.
Timeline?
Six months to a year. Panel selection, written briefs, possibly a Lausanne hearing, deliberation, ruling.
The next Chess Olympiad is 2026. Whether Russia competes with full symbols may come down to how fast Swiss arbitrators read.
What Happens Next?
If the federations win: the decision is overturned, or FIDE has to re-run the vote properly.
If FIDE wins: Russia and Belarus compete with full symbols, and the rebel alliance decides whether to boycott, accept, or keep fighting.
Either way, you don't haul your governing body to the Supreme Court of Sports and then make small talk at the next congress. Something's broken. CAS will decide what to do about it.
No wigs, though. Not even in Switzerland.