MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed indignation in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry over the visa denial to World Chess Federation (FIDE) President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.
"Lavrov expressed indignation over the US visa denial to World Chess Federation President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, which prevents him from attending the FIDE World Championship match in New York," the statement said.
Long-time FIDE President Ilyumzhinov has been sanctioned by the United States over allegedly supporting the Syrian government financially.
