Abdulla Aripov, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, is the new President of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation. He succeeds Alisher Sadullaev, who was President since May 2022. Sadullaev will now take the position of Deputy of Aripov.
The change of leadership in the Uzbekistan Chess Federation is connected to Uzbekistan holding the Chess Olympiad 2026. With the Prime Minister Aripov himself assuming the highest position in the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, the state of Uzbekistan aims to show that it fully stands behind the organization of the most important team event in FIDE’s calendar.
The task to organize the Chess Olympiad 2026 will not be an easy one. We have just witnessed the massive accommodation, transportation, and visa issues that rocked FIDE’s image at the Chess Olympiad 2024. With Aripov and the government involved, at least the visa issues will be solved quickly and we may finally see a new participation record in Uzbekistan 2026.
