Sheikh mate: Saudi prevents Israeli players from chess tournament

Israel demanded financial compensation yesterday from the International Chess Federation after several of their players were denied visas by Saudi Arabia to take part in an international tournament held in Riyadh.

Seven Israeli chess players had applied for a visa to participate in the world tournament from 26-30 December – the first international chess competition organised by Saudi Arabia.

According to the rules of the International Federation (FIDE), a country cannot deprive players, regardless of their nationality, from participating in such a competition. But Saudi Arabia refused to grant visas to players from Iran, Qatar and Israel.

On Monday, the International Federation reversed the decision of the visa refusals and managed to “obtain visas for players from Qatar and Iran” however failed to obtain visas for the Israeli players.

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“The Kingdom has authorised the participation of all citizens, except for a certain country with which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic relations and for which it maintains this policy,” the spokeswoman of the Saudi Embassy in the United States, Fatima Baechen, confirmed.

In response, the Israeli Chess Federation demanded financial compensation from FIDE for the seven players “who have suffered professional and financial harm” in this case.

The Israelis also demand that the International Federation prevent such behaviour in the future by ensuring “that each country organising an international tournament, even an Arab country, agrees to receive Israeli players”.

They also called for “the immediate cancellation” of any other international competition planned in Saudi Arabia in the next two years.