Approved by PB4/2014. Effective after 1st July 2015
1 Registration
1.1 Registration is the procedure of entering a player’s personal details into the FIDE players’ database.
1.2 A player registered to FIDE acquires a FIDE ID number (FIN).
1.3 FIN is a unique number for each player. It is not possible that two players have the same FIN and no player is allowed to have two different FIDE ID numbers. FIN remains the same throughout a player’s chess career on over the board and online chess.
1.4 National Chess Federations are requested to report players who use 2 different FIDE ID numbers until 31 December 2015. All games played with both FINs will be rerated and the players' ratings will be restored. After 1 January 2016, all players found with two different FIDE ID numbers will be penalised by a 20 euro fee and all games under the FIN issued at a later date will not be rated for the offending player. These penalties may be waived if adequate explanation is provided for the second FIN.
1.5 Each player represents a National Chess Federation (NCF) which is a member of FIDE.
1.6 Representing a Federation is compulsory. However, there is a special category called ‘FIDE flag players’ (the Federation symbol is FID) to cover those players who are, for whatever reason, without a Federation, in order to ensure that these players can play chess in FIDE rated tournaments.
1.7 A player may be registered under a Federation if he or she has citizenship, naturalization or residency in the country of that Federation.
1.8 A player may only be registered with and only represent one Federation at any particular time.
1.9 A player who has dual citizenship must be registered with and only represent one Federation at any particular time.
1.10 FIDE Players' database stores the following data for each player: First name, last name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, the Federation they represent, a player's photo and a valid email address for contact purposes.
1.11 FIDE website and FIDE Online Arena (FOA) application display only first name, last name, gender, year of birth, Federation and, where available, the player's photo.
1.12 All NCFs are required to register their players with FIDE. The FIDE Regulations on Registration, Transfers and Eligibility shall apply. All players who already have a FIDE ID number before 1 January 2015 are considered to be registered.
1.13 Registration can be made in 4 different ways:
1.13.1 National Rating Officers can register new players associated with their own National Federation and ‘FIDE flag players’.
1.13.2 The FIDE Rating Administrator may register new players under special circumstances only, in FIDE events. In this case the Chief Arbiter and the Organiser are responsible for providing correct players' data. FIDE events are all competitions under the aegis of a) the World Championship & Olympiad Commission or Events Commission, b) Continental competitions that provide qualifiers to any of the aforesaid competitions, and c) events listed and described in detail in different parts of the FIDE Handbook.
1.13.3 New players may register themselves in FIDE Online Arena playing zone (FOA). These players are not associated to any National Federation, but they are assigned the FIDE flag (FID) until they become members of a National Federation.
1.13.4 When a child registers at sm.fide.com he/she will be allocated a FIDE ID. If such person already had a FIDE ID before that registration, his/her FIDE ID will be retained and a new one will not be given. After upgrading to Premium at psm.fide.com, a child gets a CiS rating.
1.14 All player's data are obligatory for online registration in FOA. For players registered by the National Rating Officers or the FIDE Rating Administrator, first name, last name, gender, date of birth, e-mail address and Federation are obligatory for a successful registration. Players without an email address are excluded from providing an email, however the email address is necessary for the player to access FIDE website statistical data.
1.15 A successful new registration returns the player's FIN.
1.16 A newly registered player's FIN will be sent by email, as well as the password to FIDE website statistical data.
1.17 NCFs are informed of new players registered by the FIDE Rating Administrator and the FIDE Online Arena, depending on the players' nominated Federation.
1.18 Players already registered may have missing data. FIDE encourages the players themselves, the National Rating Officers and Chess Officials to fill these data to whatever extent this is possible by communicating with the FIDE Rating Administrator.
1.19 A tournament will not be rated if there are players without a valid FIN. National Rating Officers are required to ensure that all players have a valid FIN before sending the tournament report to FIDE to be rated.
2 Licensing over the board
2.1 All registered players representing a National Federation which is a member of FIDE are licensed to play over the board chess.
2.2. Οn the 31st December each year, the Treasurer lists on the FIDE website those countries that are deemed to be over six months in arrears. Until the arrears have been paid off, players from these Federations are not listed on the FIDE website and cannot participate in any FIDE events (as described in 1.13.2 of these regulations). Players representing such Federations are licensed to participate in any other FIDE rated tournament.
2.3 NCFs have the right to declare that a player is no longer representing their Federation. A player can be delisted by FIDE upon a decision of the Board of the National Federation, mailed to FIDE Secretariat, explaining clearly the reasons of their decision. FIDE Presidential Board shall decide if the reasons are sufficient and confirm a player being delisted.
2.4 Whenever a NCF delists and subsequently re-lists a player, the NCF shall pay FIDE a fee of 25 euros.
2.5 Players with no Federation are automatically considered to be ‘FIDE flag players’ and their website profile cards indicate FID as their Federation.
2.6 Players registered as FID are provisionally licensed to play over the board rated tournaments after paying the ‘FIDE license fee’ of 60 euros. ‘FIDE flag players’ are encouraged to join a National Federation rather continuing to play as FID.
2.7 The provisional license under FIDE flag expires on 30 June of the following year.
2.8 Before 1 July, the license must be renewed with a payment of 60 euros to FIDE, without further notification from FIDE, failing which the license is annulled.
2.9 ‘FIDE flag players’ with a valid provisional license are referred to as ‘licensed’ on their FIDE website profile cards.
2.10 ‘FIDE flag players’ are not allowed to compete in FIDE and Continental events.
2.11 ‘FIDE flag players’ can be accepted to compete in any other FIDE rated tournament provided they are referred to as ‘licensed’.
2.12 A player who registers to compete in any FIDE rated competition shall be required to provide his FIN. If the player has no FIN, then the Organiser must follow one of the options below:
2.12.1 Request the Organiser’s NCF to register the player and provide a FIN under the NCF flag. The FIN must be provided before the tournament is submitted for rating. FIDE will inform the player of his FIN by e-mail.
2.12.2 If the player without a FIN wishes to become a member of a Federation other than the Organiser’s NCF, then the player can only be allowed to play after: a) registration with the appropriate NCF, or, b) acquiring a provisional license as ‘FIDE flag player’
2.13 The ‘FIDE license fee’ must be paid directly to FIDE or through the tournament Organiser. In any case, FIDE Secretariat must be informed immediately in order to collect the fee. Upon confirmation of payment the ‘FIDE flag player’ is considered to be licensed.
3 Licensing in FOA
3.1 A registered player is considered to be a full member of FOA upon paying the annual subscription or claiming a free membership offer.
3.2 FOA player’s profile shows clearly the date when a player’s full membership expires.
3.3 Only full members of FOA are licensed to play in FOA rated games.
3.4 Players whose membership has expired are considered to be guest members.
3.5 Guest members have a limited access to FOA services and are allowed to play unrated games only.
3.6 If a player renews his/her subscription with a delay of more than 30 days from the expiration day, a penalty of 10 euros is added to the annual subscription fee.
3.7 FOA licensing is irrelevant to the Federation of the players.
3.8 A player’s FOA license may be suspended in case the player is caught by the FOA Anti-Cheating system.
3.9 Players punished by the FIDE Ethics Commission are not licensed to play online chess in FOA.
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