Israeli Chess Players Denied Visas to Participate in Saudi-Hosted Tournament
Pictured Above: Chess pieces. Credit: Alan Light via Wikimedia Commons.
(JNS) Israeli chess players were denied visas to participate in an international speed chess tournament hosted in Saudi Arabia this week, a leader of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) stated Sunday.
Seven Israeli players had requested travel visas to participate in the tournament from Dec. 26-30.
The Israeli players “have not been issued and will not be issued [visas],” said Israel Gelfer, vice president of the FIDE, Reuters reported.
Israel Chess Federation Spokesman Lior Aizenberg said efforts were still being made to ensure that the Israeli players could participate.
“The event is not a world championship if they prevent chess players from several countries from taking part,” said Aizenberg. “Every chess player should have the right to participate in an event on the basis of professional criteria, regardless of their passports, their place of issue or the stamps they bear.”
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