Refugee Chess Players Make History with First-Ever Olympiad Team Selection
Kakuma, 5 May 2026
Players from Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya will compete as organised refugee teams at the Chess Olympiad for the first time in September 2026. Through FIDE’s Chess for Protection programme, thousands of refugee players have trained since 2021, with professional coaching and equipment support transforming lives beyond survival needs.
Five Years of Strategic Development
The Chess for Protection project represents a remarkable journey that began as a joint initiative between FIDE and UNHCR in August 2021 [1]. Under the leadership of Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, the programme has evolved into what she describes as “one of the most meaningful social FIDE initiatives within the global chess community” [1]. Over the past five years, the project has grown from a nascent protection tool into a comprehensive educational programme that now involves thousands of players across refugee communities [1].
Professional Training Transforms Lives
The transformation of refugee chess players into Olympiad-ready competitors required intensive professional support. Latvian coach Sergey Klimakovs has travelled multiple times to Kakuma Refugee Camp, most recently conducting a specialised training camp for 10 players from 4 April to 15 April 2026 [1]. The programme’s success stems partly from significant technological upgrades, with Klimakovs noting that “thanks to the University of Magdeburg in Germany, which donated a powerful laptop with ChessBase installed for the project, the Kakuma players now have the opportunity to work on chess like professionals” [1]. This professional-grade equipment, combined with chess sets and computer donations from The Gift of Chess, DGT (Digital Solutions), and Kijiji Solutions, has elevated the standard of training available to refugee players [1].
Women’s Empowerment Through Strategic Play
The Girls Club, led by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, focuses specifically on empowering female refugee players through chess education [1]. International Master Salome Melia and Woman Grandmaster Anastasiya Karlovich lead weekly training sessions for the Girls Club, ensuring that women’s participation remains central to the programme’s mission [1]. This dedicated focus on gender inclusion demonstrates the project’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for all refugee players, regardless of gender, as they prepare for international competition.
September 2026: A Historic Moment Approaches
The 46th Chess Olympiad, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in September 2026, will mark a watershed moment for refugee representation in international sport [1]. From thousands of players involved in the Chess for Protection programme, two teams—one men’s and one women’s—have been selected to compete [1]. Dana Reizniece, Project Supervisor and Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, frames this achievement with particular eloquence: “This is not a Cinderella story waiting for a prince. It is a story of kids showing discipline and motivation and chess opening doors. For some of them—to the World Chess Olympiad, for all of them—to a better life” [1]. The initiative represents more than athletic achievement; it embodies visibility, dignity, and opportunity for refugees on the world stage [1]. As programme leaders emphasise, “If we have even the smallest chance to offer them a moment of peace and inclusion through participation in the Chess Olympiad—the greatest gathering of the global chess community—then we must do everything we can to make that possible” [1].