Russian GM Alexandra Kosteniuk will play for the Swiss Chess Federation in 2024
The Swiss Chess Federation announced on December 30th 2022, that the Russian GM Alexandra Kosteniuk switches Federation and will play for Switzerland in 2024.
Like many other Russian chess players, Alexandra Kosteniuk decided to leave the Russian Federation due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and will play for the Swiss Chess Federation (SSB) from 2024. The 2008 Women’s World Champion has dual Swiss-Russian citizenship for more than a decade after being married to the Swiss-born Diego Garces and was also the first woman to win the Swiss men’s title at the SEM in Grächen in 2013.
The reason why Kosteniuk will not play for Switzerland in 2023 is financial. If she were to change federations now, the SSB would have to pay the Russian Chess Federation a transfer fee of 10,000 dollars. After a two-year waiting period, the change of federation is free of charge. Kosteniuk last time played for Russia in December 2021, and after that she competed under the flag of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), so in 2024 she will switch Federation fee-free. Because of this one-year delay, Kosteniuk will miss the European Team Championship in Budva, Montenegro, in November 2023, but she will still play the men’s title tournament at the Swiss Individual Championships in Leukerbad in July 2023.
Peter Erismann, the one responsible for top-level sport on the central board of the Swiss Chess Federation, confirmed that Kosteniuk will be a member of the Swiss women’s squad. “However, we keep the option open to also use her in the men’s national team if there is a need” he added.
