New Delhi: The reigning king of World Rapid and Blitz chess competitions, Magnus Carlsen, made an unexpected exit from the World Rapid Chess Championship held in the buzzing city of New York. His withdrawal was enforced by a penalty; and the reason? Well, it was none other than his casual attire of jeans, which went against FIDE’s strict dress code guidelines. This resulted in our Norwegian prodigy sitting out of the ninth round of the Rapid section, owing to this infraction.
Carlsen was slapped with a $200 penalty for not sticking to the dress code, and his continued disregard for the rules cost him his qualification. This judgement was passed by the Head Referee, Alex Holowczak, citing “repeated violation.” After this episode, Carlsen announced his exit from the Blitz section of the championship.
MAGNUS CARLSEN QUITS FIDE
Magnus has quit FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship (and possibly all of FIDE tournaments) after getting DQ for violating their dress code.
Magnus was wearing jeans and was asked to change into trousers.
His response: I’M OUT, F**K YOU! pic.twitter.com/gADdMzDxVx
— Johns (@JohnyBravo183) December 28, 2024
Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Carlsen also confirmed that he would not participate in the Blitz section of the event. “I’m pretty tired of FIDE, so I want no more of this. I don’t want anything to do with them. I am sorry to everyone at home—maybe it’s a stupid principle, but I don’t think it’s any fun.”
In an interview with Take Take Take, Carlsen elaborated on his stance: “I said I’d change tomorrow, but they said I had to change now, and it became a matter of principle for me. Honestly, I’m too old at this point to care too much. If this is what they want to do, I’ll probably set off to somewhere where the weather is a bit nicer.”
FIDE issued a formal statement explaining the decision: “FIDE regulations for the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, including the dress code, are designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants,” the statement read. “Today, Mr. Magnus Carlsen breached the dress code by wearing jeans, which are explicitly prohibited under long-standing regulations for this event. The Chief Arbiter informed Mr. Carlsen of the breach, issued a $200 fine, and requested that he change his attire. Unfortunately, Mr. Carlsen declined, and as a result, he was not paired for Round 9. This decision was made impartially and applies equally to all players.”
The report highlighted an earlier incident where another big name in the game, Ian Nepomniachtchi, ran into a similar hiccup due to his choice of sporting footwear. However, Nepomniachtchi played by the book, changed into suitable attire, and carried on with the competition.
“Earlier in the day, another participant, Mr. Ian Nepomniachtchi, was also fined for breaching the dress code by wearing sports shoes. However, Mr. Nepomniachtchi complied, changed into approved attire, and continued to play in the tournament. The dress code regulations are drafted by members of the FIDE Athletes Commission, which is composed of professional players and experts. These rules have been in place for years and are well-known to all participants and are communicated to them ahead of each event. FIDE has also ensured that the players’ accommodation is within a short walking distance from the playing venue, making adherence to the rules more convenient. FIDE remains committed to promoting chess and its values, including respect for the rules that all participants agree to follow,” the statement added.
