The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has confirmed a decision to suspend Bulgaria's international activity in chess, Dnevnik.bg has reported.

The announcement, made at the 87th FIDE Congress in Baku, upholds the vote of the European Chess Union to expel the Bulgarian body.

Allegations of possible wrongdoing on behalf of the Bulgarian Chess Federation under the presidency of Silvio Danailov (2011-2014) was what pushed the European organization to suspend its membership.

FIDE has also called for immediate action by Bulgarian authorities (President and Prime Minister included), to whom it is to send a letter to explain the situation.  

It has also barred Danailov from taking any offices in the Bulgarian Chess Federation for a period of 18 months.

Danailov denies any wrongdoing, describing the decision as "political" and initiated by the world body's President, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

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