15.11.2016

Lavrov protests the US refusal to grant an entry visa to Ilyumzhinov in a conversation with Kerry

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday.

"Minister Lavrov also expressed indignation over the refusal to issue a US visa to FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, which prevents the latter from attending the title match of the World Chess Championship 2016 in New York City", according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had previously been included in the sanctions list of the US Treasury, and therefore cannot enter the country. He tried to solve this problem for a year that passed since his inclusion in the list; however, he was not able to reverse the unjust situation. Thus, for the first time in history, the head of FIDE could not give a start to a match in person.