Dear Chess Friends, Chess Arbiters,

The FIDE Arbiters' Commission is pleased to release the List of arbiters for the green, blue, red, and yellow panels, which will be used for making appointments to FIDE events during the 2024-2025 cycle. We would like to thank the hundreds of Arbiters from around the world who responded to the Call of Interest for Arbiters in World Events 2024-2025 (almost 600 colleagues from 116 Federations).

The panel system is described in the FIDE Handbook, B06.4 - FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events, including Appendix B06.4.B – Arbiter Selection Procedural Rules. 

There are four panels named by colour:

• A Green Panel , containing 25 International Arbiters of category A
• A Blue Panel, containing 45 International Arbiters of category A or B
• A Red Panel, containing 60 International Arbiters of category A or B
• A Yellow Panel, containing the remaining International Arbiters or FIDE Arbiters of any category

The Arbiters' Commission started the procedure by releasing a Call of Interest for all International Arbiters and FIDE Arbiters who hold a valid FIDE arbiters' license. The Call of Interest was open for more than a month, from July 25th to August 24th, 2023, and was then extended until August 28th, 2023. In total, 143 Arbiters with IA-A and IA-B categories responded to the Call for Interest.

During the meeting on September 2nd 2023, the voting members (FIDE Arbiters Commission councilors, ARB Chairman, ARB Secretary), discussed the criteria for selecting arbiters for panels. 

The meeting was also attended by the Team of Consultants (FIDE Council, FIDE Management Board, Global Strategy Commission, and Events Commission representatives). 

The following criteria were used to select arbiters: gender (the total number of arbiters must be at least 25% female and at least 25% male), experience and level of arbiters' category, undergone preparation for the appropriate arbiter position, software skills, language (English), leadership skills, teamwork skills, activity as an arbiter in the last few years, previous behaviour or misbehaviour during chess events.

These selection criteria were applied by a team of voting members who used consensus as a decision-making method. The panels were formed following the FIDE Regulations, particularly B.06.4 FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events (effective July 20th, 2023) and selection criteria. 

Each voting member received a list of 143 arbiters (arbiters Category A and B who participated in the Call of Interest for World Events 2024-2025) and voted for every other arbiter on it (on a scale of 143 points to 1 point). For the initial draft, the lowest score was dismissed as none of the voting members could vote for themself. Voting members discussed the draft with the Team of Consultants so as to be able to present you the final version of the List of arbiters for the green, blue, red, and yellow panels.

The Arbiters' Commission believes that this list was made in the best interests of FIDE and arbiters worldwide. Moreover, we expect that its content and integrity will be proved over the following two years when these arbiters complete their duties at FIDE World Events.

Ivan Syrovy, ARB Chairman 

Nebojsa Baralic, ARB Secretary

According to the FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events (B.06.4), arbiters selected for the Green Panel are eligible to be appointed as:

 1) Chief Arbiter of category A tournaments

 2) Any role that members of the Blue Panel, Red Panel or Yellow Panel may be appointed to

The Green Panel will be composed of 25 arbiters, all of whom must be Category A.

The Green Panel will be used to appoint:

 1) The Chief Arbiters of all Category A tournaments

 2) The equivalent number of positions as Chief Arbiters in Category B tournaments

LIST OF ARBITERS / GREEN PANEL (alphabetical order):

Note: one spot is not occupied and during the cycle one arbiter can be added to green panel

According to the FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events (B.06.4), arbiters selected for the Blue Panel are eligible to be appointed as:
1) Deputy Chief Arbiter of category A tournaments
2) Chief Arbiter of category B tournaments
3) Any role that members of the Red Panel or Yellow Panel may be appointed to

The Blue Panel will be composed of 45 arbiters, all of whom must be Category A or B.

The Blue Panel will be used to appoint:
1) The Chief Arbiters of all Category B tournaments not assigned to the Green Panel
2) The Deputy Chief Arbiters
a) in all Category A tournaments
b) of twice the equivalent number of positions from a) in Category B tournaments

LIST OF ARBITERS / BLUE PANEL (alphabetical order):

Note: one spot is not occupied and during the cycle one arbiter can be added to blue panel

According to the FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events (B.06.4), arbiters selected for the Red Panel are eligible to be appointed as:
1) Sector Arbiter or Pairing Officer of category A tournaments
2) Deputy Chief Arbiter of category B tournaments
3) Any role that members of the Yellow Panel may be appointed to

The Red Panel will be composed of 60 arbiters, all of whom must be Category A or B.

The Red Panel will be used to appoint:
1) The Deputy Chief Arbiters of all Category B tournaments not assigned to the Blue Panel
2) The Sector Arbiters and Pairing Officer
a) in all Category A tournaments
b) of twice the equivalent number of positions from a) in Category B tournaments

LIST OF ARBITERS / RED PANEL (alphabetical order):

Note: two spots are not occupied and during the cycle one arbiter can be added to green panel

According to the FIDE Regulations for the Appointment of Arbiters in World Events (B.06.4), arbiters selected for the Yellow Panel are eligible to be appointed as:
1) Arbiters selected for the Yellow Panel are eligible to be appointed as any remaining roles, provided that their title and category of arbiter are compliant with Table B06.3.8.3.
2) There is no predefined size for the Yellow Panel as it contains all remaining applications retained by the Arbiter Appointment Procedural Rules.

LIST OF ARBITERS / YELLOW PANEL 

Note: Arbiters eligible for the yellow panel who haven’t initially answered the call of interest may still register in that panel by sending an email to the FIDE ARB Secretary, Nebojsa Baralic: secretary.arbiters@fide.com.