In a decision by the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission (EDC) published on Monday, 43-year-old Latvian IM Andrejs Strebkovs will lose his international master title and his ban from attending FIDE-rated events has been extended from five years to 12 years. He was found guilty of sending sexually explicit material to women and minors for more than 10 years.
In the initial ruling of August 2024, the EDC First Instance Chamber found Strebkovs guilty and issued a five-year ban from all FIDE-rated events. After he filed an appeal, however, FIDE responded with a cross-appeal seeking the harsher decision. The Chamber pointed out that Strebkovs never denied sending the letters, although this was not a determining fact in establishing his guilt.
The list of players who have had their FIDE titles revoked is short, and it was usually associated with over-the-board cheating or rating manipulation. The list includes the late IM Isa Kasimi (formerly Igors Rausis), IM Gaioz Nigalidze, and Alexandru Crisan, and all three had the grandmaster title. Strebkovs is the first international master to have his title revoked.
FIDE upheld the evidence presented in the initial ruling and cited DNA analysis and findings from a police investigation. The Chamber noted that Strebkovs “did not express any remorse or empathy towards the victims” and that the views he expressed about sexual harassment and abuse were “incompatible with the standards of the FIDE family.”
The IM title comes with the responsibility of being a role model, the decision stressed. Further, the title affords him coaching opportunities, which would put him in contact with children.Â
In the case at hand, the respondent seriously failed in his position as a role model, being the holder of an IM title. Moreover, he uses this title to coach and thus remain in contact with a community of young players among whom he can choose his victims or inquire about potential victims, and as long as the respondent is in contact with his sphere of influence, he will always be a threat to the entire chess community and especially the vulnerable groups he targets.
… the respondent seriously failed in his position as a role model, being the holder of an IM title.
—EDC Appeal Chamber
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said:
This decision sends a strong message that there is no place in chess for such unacceptable behavior. FIDE is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all players, particularly women and minors, who must feel safe and respected in our community.
FIDE is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all players.
—Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President
The Complainant (Dvorkovich, in this case) detailed that Strebkovs sent used condoms and pages from pornographic magazines to young, mostly Russian women and girls. Eleven names were listed in the text, though at least 15 were identified by independent Russian news magazine Meduza, based in Latvia. Letters were sent to home addresses of players, their clubs, universities, and tournament venues.
One recipient (identified as “Ms A”) was 14 years old at the time, and the envelope was addressed to the chess club in Moscow. In this case, the sender was labelled former FIDE World Champion Alexander Khalifman. The sender impersonated other well-known male chess players too.
The Chamber summarized his defense as follows, in which he did not deny sending the letters:
The respondent chose to adopt a defence strategy consisting of avoiding any discussion about the essential elements of his guilt, hoping to sow doubt in the mind of the panel and thereby precluded any mitigating circumstances that could have benefited him.
A primary argument Strebkovs made was that “the letters were exchanged between private individuals and were unrelated to any FIDE official or tournament activities” and that FIDE “lacks competence” to investigate matters that do not directly impact chess tournaments, games, or other events.
A second argument was that there was insufficient evidence regarding the affected players’ “negative psychological effects and how such effects manifested.” He also argued that the sender’s intention remains unknown, and that the intent may not have been to cause distress.Â
The last argument was that social norms vary across cultures. “He argues that sending such items by post, while unconventional, is no longer surprising given the prevalence of very vulgar spam on our mobile phones and smartphones.”Â
Two “unsubstantiated” defenses were, first, that these letters would have been confiscated by a “postal control system” in Latvia and, second, that the letters “were part of a broader awareness campaign against AIDS.” The Chamber called the latter an “entirely frivolous hypothesis,” and all arguments were dismissed.
His “misconduct does not constitute a criminal offense under Latvian law,” and so besides the sanctions by FIDE, he will be charged an administrative fine.Â
The full decision is available on EDC’s website.