The World Chess Federation (FIDE) President, Arkady Dvorkovich, has nominated Gopakumar M. S., a second-year law student of Government Law College, Thrissur, as the Chief Fair Play Officer for the FIDE World Cup, scheduled to be held in Goa from 30 October to 27 November 2025.
Gopakumar, a former Indian Air Force chess coach, holds the prestigious titles of International Arbiter, Fair Play Officer, FIDE Lecturer, and FIDE Instructor. He is among the top panel arbiters in the world and notably the first Asian to be conferred with the FIDE Fair Play Officer title. Over the years, he has officiated in several marquee events, including the World Chess Championship Final, the Chess Olympiads, and numerous international and national tournaments in India and abroad. Significantly, he became the first Indian to officiate at the World Cup during its previous edition in Baku, Azerbaijan. With his latest appointment, he will now serve as the Chief Fair Play Officer on home soil, marking yet another historic first for both India and Asia.
