Russian chess grandmaster Sergei Karyakin has refused to take part in the 2023 World Chess Championship, which will be held from July 29 to August 25 in Baku, Azerbaijan. As he explained in a column for the sports newspaper Sport-Express this Saturday, his decision obeys the guidelines of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), which force him to compete under neutral status.
“I refused to take part in the World Cup and I do not regret it. Because either you compete with no flag and no anthem, or you skip the competition and keep your dignity,” he wrote.
The athlete assures that it is a “very important” tournament for him and that it is one of his “favorites”. However, he insists he is willing to forego any event where he cannot represent his country and anthem if he wins. “This is particularly important and relevant for me because I am with my country with all my soul (…) So, until Russia regains all its rights in sport, “There’s no point in talking about it,” he insisted.
Also, Kariakin expressed his wish for FIDE to stop “Blindly following anti-Russian feelings” and affirms that “it is time for everyone to remember the motto that sport is beyond politics.”
The grandmaster was invited to the 2021 World Championships as a runner-up and had to confirm his participation before June 2nd. Speaking to RT this Thursday, his representative Kiril Zangalis confirmed the teacher’s refusal.
On the same day, Kariakin himself hinted at this on his Telegram channel was “strongly” rejected responded to the requirements of FIDE and confirmed that he had already expressed this several times. At the same time, he asked his subscribers to give their opinion on the topic in a survey. As a result, 91% approved their idea of not participating without an anthem or a flag. “The result is more than eloquent!” said the chess player.