Israeli Chess Players Quit Spanish Tournament Over Ban on National Flag

Seven Israeli chess players have withdrawn from a competition in Spain after organizers informed them they would not be allowed to compete under their national flag. The event, which began Friday in Sestao, saw the players pull out one by one, with the last one making the decision on the morning of the tournament.

The Sestao Chess Club, which is hosting the competition, linked the decision to the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and expressed solidarity with Palestinians. Miguel Angel Olmo, the club's president, stated, "We have acted in accordance with international regulations, but we invited them not to take part and we thank them for their decision." He added that the club has its own "convictions" and believes it has achieved its goal of finding a "peaceful solution" by informing both players and the public.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has distanced itself from the decision, stating that it had no prior knowledge of the restriction and was not consulted by the organizers. The federation issued a statement strongly condemning "any form of discrimination, including on the basis of nationality and flag." FIDE noted that while Russian and Belarusian players have been required to compete without their flags since 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine, no similar policy applies to Israeli players.

The incident comes amidst heightened political tensions between the two countries. Spain's Prime Minister recently made a remark about using nuclear weapons to stop the Gaza hostilities, a comment that was forcefully condemned by Israel as a call for genocide. The Sestao competition has attracted over 250 participants from 33 nations, and local groups had announced planned rallies in support of the Palestinians, which the club said it welcomed.