B. Permanent Commissions / 07. Regulations for the Titles of Trainers / FIDE Endorsed Academies

FIDE Trainers’ Commission (TRG)

1.       Introduction

1.1     The FIDE Trainers’ Commission (hereinafter referred to as “TRG”) is responsible for regulating FIDE Trainer Titles and Licenses, organizing FIDE Trainer Seminars and TRG Professional Education & Development Workshops, administering the FIDE Endorsed Academies Program, and the FIDE Trainer Awards.

1.2     TRG work is both technical and administrative, and so is tasked with the development and implementation of all FIDE training programs and activities where TRG also reviews and gives its consent to continental and national trainers activities funded by the FIDE Development Fund.

1.3     TRG is a non-elected FIDE commission consisting of:

a) A Chairman appointed by the FIDE President;

b) TRG Council consisting of a Secretary and up to five (5) other voting members appointed by the FIDE President;

c) Up to eight (8) members with consultative status, four (4) out of whom each to be nominated by the respective Continental Presidents

1.4     In its work, the TRG Council will draft and implement all internal rules, such as the regulations for seminar organizing and examination procedure, the appointment of lecturers and examiners, the process for payment of fees, and these shall be in force no earlier than 15 days after their publication on the TRG website.

1.5     Except when provided in these regulations or mandated as a function of the TRG Council, new applicable general guidelines may be introduced by decision of the FIDE Management Board or by proposal to the FIDE Council.

2.       The FIDE Trainer System

2.1.    TRG evaluates trainers for the award and licensing of FIDE Trainer titles through FIDE Trainer Seminars, TRG Professional Education & Development Workshops, Direct Applications, and the passing of a recognized Sports Chess Diploma, and recommends the same for approval by the FIDE Council. Licensed trainer - a trainer who has a respective trainer’s experience, practice and qualification, as well as has successfully undergone the FIDE TRG licensing process. It can be regarded as a certified trainer if thus required by the respective jurisdiction.

2.2.    FIDE Trainer Titles

There are five (5) FIDE Trainer titles: four (4) titles which are awarded through seminars, and one (1) title a recognition of a lifelong contribution or extraordinary achievements as a trainer.

i.       Developmental Instructor (DI)

This license is given to trainers who bring the love of the game to children and adults starting out in chess and have the ability to teach the first steps in chess and then bring him or her to the level of participation in a FIDE rated tournament. Typically, teaching players rated up to 1200.

ii.      National Instructor (NI)

This license is given to trainers who can grow his or her talent to be able to successfully participate in national and international cadet and regional youth championships. Typically, teaching players rated from 1201 to 1700.

iii.     FIDE Instructor (FI)

This license is given to trainers who have the ability and knowledge to improve a student’s foundation and successfully compete in national, regional and international cadet and youth championships. Typically, training players rated from 1701 to 2200.

iv.     FIDE Trainer (FT)

This license is given to trainers who played at a professional level and who also have the ability, knowledge and skills to help a student at international competitions in pursuit of title norms, and championships. Typically, training players over 2200.

v.      FIDE Senior Trainer (FST)

The FIDE Senior Trainer Title is a title awarded for distinct service to chess for a period of longer than 10 years at a high level. FIDE Senior Trainer Title is also awarded to all the men and women World Champions in classical chess.

2.3.    Trainer Licenses

FIDE Trainer Titles are awarded for life and can only be suspended or revoked by a decision of the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission or FIDE Council, while a Trainer License is a certification by FIDE and TRG of current proficiency to train at the indicated level of the awarded FIDE Trainer title.

a) Trainer titles when awarded include a two (2) year license.

b) Effective 1 January 2022, TRG will review all applications for a renewal of licenses, valid for four (4) years, either through submission of a signed document attesting to measurable student results and trainer accomplishments or by attendance at the earliest available seminar without charge, in both cases required to take an exam.

c) This renewal process does not apply to FIDE Senior Trainers who will also have the right to attend a seminar without charge once every two years.

d) After ten years, trainers with continuous license will be eligible to apply for a title upgrade.

e) Trainers applying for a direct title must provide evidence of their achievements over the past five years.

2.4.    Title and License Rights & Obligations

a) All trainer titles are only valid for the period for which they are issued and only trainers with a valid license may use the title awarded as an official certification.

b) Trainers also have a professional duty of care regarding their duties especially when interacting with minors and the opposite sex and breaches of trust is unacceptable. In addition, trainers should not be involved in any way in cases of violation of the principles of fair play, including cheating and violation in any form, or allow other types of unethical behaviour.

c) Should there be any breach of the professional duty of care or any other violations as specified above TRG will inform the FIDE Management Board and ask the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for suitable sanctions including revocation of title, while reserving the right to reject this person from any programs in the scope of TRG for a period of two (2) years from a violation.

 2.5.    FIDE Trainer Seminars

a) FIDE Trainer Seminars are designed around the teaching and sharing of universally accepted methods and practices of leading trainers in their work and for the award of trainer titles which also includes an initial two-year license.

b) TRG will directly organise all FIDE Trainer Seminars but Continental & Other FIDE Affiliated Organisations and FIDE Regional Academies may apply to co-organise a FIDE Trainer Seminar/ A comprehensive guide as to the roles, rights and obligations of all parties is published on the TRG website at https://trg.fide.com/trg-online-seminars/.

2.6.    Title Award Evaluation

a) The proposed title award is based on the following five (5) evaluation criteria:

 i. FIDE Rating or Equivalent (20%)

ii. Overall Student Results (30%)

iii. Experience / Special Achievements (20%)

iv. Trainer & Related Professional Skills (10%)

v. Written Exam (20%)

 b) An Examination Panel consisting of the Chairman and/or Secretary and up to four individuals approved by TRG shall design and supervise the evaluation process, approve written exam questions, appoint examiners and review complaints.

c) The participants of the seminars have the right to appeal. Appeals must be submited individually in writing, directly, and without copying to third parties. Appeals, along with proof of payment of a 50 euros deposit to FIDE, must be submited to the official TRG email within 5 working days after the publication of the proposed titles on the TRG website. Subsequently, an
Exam Panel will be formed to review the appeals.

d) The final results will be reviewed and confirmed by the TRG Council before submission to the FIDE Council for final approval.

e) Any reasonable suspicion of irregularity in the exam process shall automatically make all results which were affected by this irregularity null and void and any intentional untruthful information given to TRG in connection with the examination will lead to a fail grade, as well as a possible ban on the organization of or participation in seminars/exams in the future, and in deliberate cases – referred to the FIDE Management Board and Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for suitable sanctions.

3.       Professional Education & Development Workshops

 Trainers are encouraged to keep their skills relevant through participation in Professional Education & Development Workshops to be organised quarterly where credits will be awarded towards future licences and/or future title upgrades.

4.       Financial Regulations

4.1.    Introduction

a) It is wholly up to the trainers, organizers, and the academies to ensure that they fulfil their financial responsibilities to FIDE.

b) Payments to be made either via PayPal, direct to the FIDE bank account, by credit card through a link provided by FIDE Accounts, or by Federation acceptance of separate FIDE invoice with an acceptable deadline for when it has to be settled, but no longer than 30 days.

 4.2.    Title & License Fees

a) The title and license fee for all trainers is given in the FIDE Handbook under Financial Regulations

b) No title or license fee shall be charged for FIDE Senior Trainer titles awarded to men and women World Champions.

c) License renewal fees (for certification of proficiency) are due no later than end January, and trainers with non-payment will not have their certification officially listed after a two-month grace period.

d) Renewals are backdated with the full payment due for the indicated four (4) years but cannot be renewed once it has lapsed for two years and the trainer will then be required to attend a new seminar and pass a new exam in order to be relicensed.

e) FIDE Senior Trainers with 25 years of experience will be exempt from future fees and all trainers who have reached the age of 65 while having a valid trainer’s license will also no longer be required to pay a license fee.

5.       Captaincy

5.1.    All Head of Delegations/Captains/Trainers at official FIDE events like Olympiads, World, Continental and Regional Team Championship, are required to be a licensed trainer, and for World and Continental Junior, Youth, Cadet and Schools Championships, to be a licensed trainer or International Organizer, failing which, will need to apply for a captaincy license.

5.2.    Only licensed trainers and holders of the International Organizer title, as applicable to the official FIDE event, or those with a captaincy license and Federation Officials given special permission, are allowed access to the official playing venue and playing area (as per the tournament regulations) and be entitled to free board & lodging (where offered by the organizers).

5.3.    If a Federation is unable to organize for a licensed trainer or an International Organizer to fill a Head of Delegation/Captains/Trainers at the designed official FIDE event, TRG will issue a captaincy license provided the following conditions are met:

a) An application must be made together with a registration fee which will only be valid for that particular event.

b) Compulsory attendance in an orientation course to be jointly organized by TRG and the FIDE Events Commission.

6.       FIDE Endorsed Academies Program

6.1.    TRG organizes and runs the FIDE Endorsed Academy Program where a FIDE Endorsed Academy is expected to cooperate with TRG and FIDE so as to be able take a role in chess development activities at a level expected of a FIDE named entity, and in doing so, may use on its official documents and promotional materials, the FIDE logo as approved by TRG.

6.2.    FIDE Endorsed Academies will be categorized into the following levels, valid for two years before review, with the corresponding rights and obligations:

a) Level 1 / Professional

Basic Requirements

From a minimum of 25 main students, five (5) should have an average FIDE rating of 2100, or the academy has achieved three (3) medals in a year or five (5) in two years at classical chess time controls, under 8 to under18 age-group categories where the achievement is Gold at National Championships and/or Gold, Silver or Bronze at World and/or Continental Youth and Cadet championships.

Dedicated business premises with classrooms, library/resource center, all needed chess equipment including the use of computer technology for the number and level of academy students.

Coaching staff must have two dedicated FST or one FST + two FT, all with current license.

Organizing and/or participation in at least one of social and grassroots development projects, scholastic chess programs, the hosting of FIDE and/or National seminars, workshops and camps.

Special FIDE Rights

Have the right to enter one non official player in each age group category of a FIDE event that is not part of the FIDE World Championship cycle and also in that of the Continent and region where the Federation it is registered with is a member, which is the World and Continental Junior, Youth, Cadet and Schools Championships, and also teams in the World U-16 Olympiad.

Have the right to organize FIDE titled and rating events subject to approval by TRG and both the Events and Qualification Commissions, and to inform and submit report via respective National Chess Federation.  

 b) Level 2 / Clubs

 Basic Requirements

From a minimum of 25 main students, five (5) should have an average FIDE rating of 1800.

Operating or business premises, dedicated or shared with parent organization, having classrooms and all needed chess equipment for the number and level of academy students. 

Coaching staff must have two dedicated FT or one FT + two FI, all with current license

Special FIDE Rights

Have the right to enter one non official player in each age group category of a FIDE event that is not part of the FIDE World Championship cycle and also in that of the Continent and region where the Federation it is registered with is a member, which is the World and Continental Cadet and Schools Championships.

Have the right to organize FIDE rating events subject to approval by TRG and both the Events and Qualification Commissions, and to inform and submit report via respective National Chess Federation.  

 c) Level 3 /Scholastic

Basic Requirements

A minimum of 100 students, at the academy and/or in schools taught by the academy.

Business premises and appropriate chess equipment and teaching materials for the number and levels of students.

Official permission by relevant authorities.

Coaching staff must have one dedicated FI or NI or two dedicated DI, all with current license.

Special FIDE Rights

The organizing of teacher workshops and co-hosting and participation in children chess camps.

6.3.    FIDE Endorsed Academies are required to provide an annual report by the end of January of the following year, and are also required to respond to any requests for information by TRG within 10 working days.

The annual membership yearly fee for a FIDE Endorsed Academy is to be paid by the end of January each year.

b)      Should a FIDE Endorsed Academy fail to comply with its financial obligations to FIDE, it’s governing FIDE Trainer and the National Chess Federation and/or Continental or FIDE Affiliated Organization (depending on which of these legal entities expressed support for the Academy's application in accordance with 4.2. (a) shall be held liable and the Academy cannot participate in FIDE and TRG programs until all obligations have been met.

c)      If a FIDE Endorsed Academy changes ownership or partial ownership, its status shall be reconfirmed by TRG. This shall not be a political process, but an administrative one, unless TRG feels it is in FIDE's interest to review the transition of ownership.

d)      It shall be considered unethical and deceptive to use the FIDE logo and/or the FIDE Endorsed Academy status in a misleading context or misrepresentation by not explicitly stating the time period for which a valid license was held.

e)      A FIDE Endorsed Academy is held to the highest standards of care regarding its association with FIDE, and any misrepresentation or breach of standard of care, even non-compliance in either administrative or financial matters will result in suspension by decision of TRG Council and even termination after review by the FIDE Management Board and its subsequent recommendation to the FIDE Council.

6.4.    It is expected that the Academies that have been granted the relevant status before the date of these regulations will do their best in order to comply with the requirements specified herein as soon as possible, and full compliance is expected no later than on the 1st of January 2022.

6.5     Where an existing academy is unable to meet any obligations of their given level of FIDE Endorsed Academy status during the two (2) year period of award, TRG will allow membership renewal at the same level provided this is rectified with six (6) months or until the end of the National Youth and Cadet Championships, failing which their status will be changed accordingly.

6.6.    Application

a)      A FIDE Endorsed Academy must be a legal entity and underwritten by a FIDE licensed trainer and must be supported by the respective National Chess Federation and/or Continental or FIDE Affiliated Organization in its jurisdiction, with a 10 working days period for any objections. In exceptional cases, however, TRG may accept other written confirmations of the applicant’s good reputation, provided that such confirmations are exhaustive, reliable and confirm the reputation without any reasonable doubt.

b)      An application must be made together with the registration fee which is inclusive of the year of award.

c)      It is a requirement that a FIDE Endorsed Academy has FIDE licensed trainers in its employment.

d)      FIDE Endorsed Academies shall be named appropriately. An academy shall not be seen to represent a country or federation – without being owned or run exclusively by that federation. Nor shall the Academy be named in a way that can mislead third parties - for example by being seen as a part of FIDE, rather than affiliated with FIDE.

 7.       Training and Development Programs

 TRG will take the lead for FIDE in in the development and implementation of Training and Development Programs, where TRG also reviews and gives its consent to continental and national trainers activities funded by the FIDE Development Fund, including, but not limited to the following:

7.1.    Olympiad Captaincy Support

7.2.    Worldwide Elite Junior Talent Training

7.3.    Capacity Building for Developing Countries

8.       FIDE Trainer Awards

 8.1.    TRG shall each year acknowledge the finest chess trainers in the world by organizing the FIDE Trainer Awards.

8.2.    The awards will be given in the following ten categories, nine for trainers and one for book authors:  

a)      Mikhail Botvinnik Award for the best achievement by trainer(s) in Open Section competitions

b)      Vakhtang Karseladze Award for the best achievement by trainer(s) in women’s and/or girl’s competitions

c)      Mark Dvoretsky Award for the best achievement by trainer(s) in junior competitions

d)      Samual Reshevsky for the best achievement by a junior prodigy (U-14) player in competitions

e)      Yuri Razuvaev Award for special contribution to grassroots education, and social impact

f)       Tigran Petrosian Award for special contribution to trainer education 

g)      Vasily Smyslov for the best academy or chess school, to be voted on by the current FIDE endorsed academies

h)      Liu Wenzhe to recognise the first coach, as endorsed by one or more leading chess players

i)       Online Chess Training, for delivery or innovation in online chess training

j)       Yuri Averbakh/Isaac Boleslavsky Award for best book

8.3.    TRG however reverses the right, in consultation with the FIDE Management Board, to add to or reduce the categories of the awards.

8.4     The following are eligible to make nominations:

a)      FIDE Council Members

b)      Continental & National Chess Federations

c)      TRG Commission Members

d)      Principals of FIDE Academies

e)      FIDE Senior Trainers

f)       Former Winners

8.5.    Nominations will be open on 31 January each year and close on 31 April with the results announced no later than 31 July. 

8.6.    TRG shall design a transparent voting system, appointing eminent judges for the awards, balancing gender and geographical considerations.