Israeli chess players quit tournament after organisers refused to display occupation’s flag

Seven Israeli chess players registered to compete in a Spanish tournament this weekend have all pulled out of the event and taken their ball – or rather, chessboards – home, according to the event’s organisers.

Israeli chess players quit

The reason for the petulant withdrawal was that the organisers had told the players they could not compete under the Israeli flag, citing the Gaza genocide and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Sestao Chess Club president Miguel Angel Olmo said:

One after another they kept pulling out and finally the last one, this very morning, decided not to come. We have acted in accordance with international regulations, but we invited them not to take part and we thank them for their decision.

FIDE, the International Chess Federation said it had not been asked by the organisers about their decision and had not made a ruling on the issue. The Sestao event draw more than 250 players from dozens of countries.

In a statement, the club – which supports local pro-Palestine rallies – said:

We respect the International Chess Federation regulations for open tournaments, but we also have convictions: we have worked to find a peaceful solution, informing the players and the public, and we believe we have achieved our goal.

Featured image via the Canary