Popular Indian chess player Viswanathan Anand was chosen as the deputy president of FIDE on Sunday. President Arkady Dvorkovich was re-elected for a second term in the sport's world governing body.
The International Chess Federation tweeted the news and wrote: "Arkady Dvorkvich is reelected for a second term as the President with 157 votes against 16. Viswanathan Anand is the new FIDE Deputy President." Five-time world champion Anand was part of Dvorkovich's team.
The elections to the world chess body were held during the FIDE Congress which is being conducted here alongside the 44th Chess Olympiad.
Anand is currently not part of the playing team for the Olympiad but is mentoring the Indian squads. He has expressed his desire to do something for the sport in a capacity as an administrator and has backed the work done by Dvorkovich and his team in the first term.
He rose to fame as a teen player and soon became India's first ever Grandmaster by winning the world junior title. He has been leading the country at a global level since then. Chennai-based chess player Anand is known for winning numerous titles and honours. In recent times, he has cut down his tournament participation and is focusing on coaching.
Ahead of the elections, Dvorkovich said he is really proud to have Anand running for deputy president. "He is a great person and has a great personality. He has been a long-time friend."
He added that Anand is already extremely popular all around the world. "Not just in this state, wherever I go, his personality and contribution are acknowledged and recognised as a big part of FIDE history and FIDE future. We have a really good team."
Dvorkvich's rival Andrii Baryshpolets got 16 votes. The number of invalid votes was one and abstentions stood at 5.