ACCRA: Russian former chess great and fierce Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov said on Thursday that the Sochi Winter Olympics promoted “dictatorship” in the country and called on athletes to protest.
Kasparov, in Ghana to push his bid to be head of the world chess federation (FIDE), has previously slammed the staging of the Games in the Black Sea resort, claiming infrastructure would not be ready.
The Games open on February 7 but have faced concerns about security and boycott threats after international condemnation at Russia’s passing of a controversial law banning gay “propaganda.”
“Participating in this event, especially the opening ceremony, gives a boost to the dictator because that’s all he needs, just to be sort of in the center of public attention,” Kasparov told AFP in Accra, referring to President Vladimir Putin.
Kasparov, 50, has been a relentless critic of Putin and last year organized protests against the government for its passing of the gay law, which has led to claims of a rise in hate crime.
The Grandmaster, a former world number one widely considered the greatest chess player of all time, singled out the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for not taking a stand.
“They (the IOC) did statements all the time, 1968 in Mexico, for instance,” he said, referring to the “Black Power” salute of US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony.
“We are witnessing the Olympics that are blatantly used for the promotion of the dictatorship,” he added.
Smith and Carlos, gold and bronze medallists in the 200m, raised a gloved fist each during the playing of the US national anthem in support of the civil rights struggle in their homeland.
Kasparov’s call echoes groups such as Amnesty International which said the IOC’s silence in the face of Russia’s crackdown on free speech and fundamental rights made a mockery of its charter.
Human Rights Watch also called the charter “meaningless” given IOC assertions that the law banning gay “propaganda” was not discriminatory.
Kasparov, who was born in Baku in what is now Azerbaijan, now lives outside Russia for fear of arrest.
He made an abortive bid for Russia’s presidency in 2007 but said he has now ruled out ever running again for the country’s top job.
“In Putin’s Russia, nobody’s fighting to win elections, we’re fighting to have elections,” he added.
The battle to become head of FIDE is between Kasparov and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has headed the sport for 18 years but is thought to have Kremlin backing.
Sochi Games promote ‘dictatorship’ — Kasparov
Sochi Games promote ‘dictatorship’ — Kasparov
Real Madrid victory in Super Cup semi-final sets up fourth consecutive El Clásico in Saudi Arabia
- Early Valverde rocket set the tone for a physical encounter in front of a packed Al-Inma Stadium
- 55,651 fans attended the match, topping Barcelona-Athletic Bilbao’s crowd by more than 5,000
JEDDAH: While Wednesday saw a sea of blue and red take over Al-Inma Stadium, Thursday belonged almost entirely to the colour white. The second semi-final of the 2026 Spanish Super Cup pitted Madrid Derby rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid against each other in a fiercely contested encounter that ignited within the opening two minutes and ended with a 2-1 victory to Real Madrid.
In the first minute of the game, Real Madrid won a free kick from a position that appeared harmless, but Federico Valverde had other ideas. The Uruguayan unleashed a thunderous long-range strike that flew into the net, sending the stadium into raptures almost immediately.
Despite the early breakthrough, Real Madrid did not dominate proceedings. Atlético controlled much of the shot count, pushing relentlessly as they attempted to overcome the forged “home” advantage enjoyed by their city rivals in Jeddah.
That advantage was not driven solely by Saudi supporters. Ahead of kick-off, official broadcaster Thmanyah Sports got hold of a Real Madrid fan from Iraq who praised the organisation of the event and thanked Saudi Arabia for providing fans from across the region the opportunity to watch their team live.
Atlético didn’t plan on sending those fans home with a smile. They forced Thibaut Courtois into action on multiple occasions, with his save from a corner mid-way into the first half proving key in preserving Real’s lead.
Real did get close to doubling their advantage in the 27th minute when Rodrygo found himself through on goal, executing a trademark Ronaldo chop to beat his marker before being denied by Jan Oblak.
Atlético resumed their push after the break. In the 49th minute, they looked to find Julián Álvarez with a dangerous cross, but Antonio Rüdiger reacted sharply to step in and clear.
Once again, it was Real Madrid’s individual quality that made the difference. Valverde split the defence with a perfectly weighted through ball, releasing Rodrygo, who calmly slotted past Oblak in the 55th minute.
Atlético responded with increased vigour almost immediately. A slick move down the right flank culminated in a cross from Giuliano Simeone, which Alexander Sørloth powered home beyond Raúl Asencio in the 58th minute to bring the contest back to life.
As Atlético pushed for an equaliser, the Real Madrid fans rallied behind their team with chants familiar to Jeddah. Borrowing from one of Al-Ahli’s most popular anthems — one that engulfed Middle Eastern football in recent years — the crowd sang in unison: “For Real we came, from every city.”
Atlético were not fazed, as they came agonisingly close to levelling soon after. Antoine Griezmann produced a spectacular overhead kick from close range, only for Courtois to make another vital save. Moments later, Marcos Llorente broke through on the right once more, but his effort drifted wide.
Llorente continued to threaten, curling another attempt — this time from outside the box — but once again failed to find the target as Atlético searched desperately for a way back into the game.
Ultimately, Real Madrid managed to emerge unscathed, as they held on for the 2-1 victory.
Sunday will see the Al-Inma Stadium host once again, as Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in the fourth consecutive El Clásico Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. Barcelona won the first encounter in 2023, followed by a 4-1 victory by Real in 2024, before Barcelona rallied to a 5-2 victory in the 2025 edition.
