Israeli chess teams forfeit matches after FIDE ‘breaches’ Yom Kippur understanding

The Israel Chess Federation went on to say that it will demand explanations from FIDE and seek to remedy the “sporting injustice” caused to Israel’s teams.

By JNS

Israel’s men’s and women’s chess teams pulled out of their sixth-round matches against the Netherlands and Bulgaria at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, that were scheduled to take place on Monday, after both opponents declined requests to change the date, which fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) “breached” its commitment and forced the Israeli teams to miss the games on Yom Kippur, the Israel Chess Federation said in a Hebrew-language statement on Sunday.

“In an official letter sent to the Israel Chess Federation, FIDE undertook to ensure that the games involving the two Israeli teams on Sept. 20 would conclude by 5 p.m. and that the games on Sept. 21 would begin no earlier than 7:30 p.m., after the end of Yom Kippur,” the Israeli association said.

“In practice, the games were not adjusted in accordance with this commitment, and both teams—the men’s and women’s—were required to play during Yom Kippur,” the chess body continued.

“Out of respect for the holy day and for the players representing the teams, Israel did not show up for the games, and both teams were recorded as having suffered technical losses without points,” it added.

The Israel Chess Federation went on to say that it will demand explanations from FIDE and seek to remedy the “sporting injustice” caused to Israel’s teams.

The statement further attached a letter issued by FIDE on Jan. 15 that confirmed that the schedule of the Israeli teams in the Olympiad would be adjusted to accommodate for Yom Kippur.

According to Ynet, the agreement to adjust the matches’ hours was not incorporated into the competition regulations, leaving the decision to alter the timings with the respective national teams playing against the Israeli teams.

Contrary to the Dutch and Bulgarian teams, the Colombian and Singaporean teams agreed to start their matches against Israel early on Sunday—before the start of Yom Kippur—enabling these matches to go ahead as originally agreed, the report added.

The Israeli teams recorded a technical 0-4 loss to the Netherlands and Bulgaria due to their decision not to show up.