Israeli Chess Players Forced to Ditch Their Flag in Spain - Or Leave the Tournament

At an international chess tournament in Spain's Basque Country, Israeli players were prohibited from competing under their national flag and required to use the neutral flag of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) or withdraw entirely.

The "XL Open Basque Country Sestao 2025," also referred to as the "33 Magistral Internacional de Euskadi" is an open international chess tournament held in Sestao, a town in the Basque Country region of northern Spain. It's actively underway, with multiple rounds completed. The tournament features players from various countries, including grandmasters (GMs), international masters (IMs), and fide masters (FMs), competing in a Swiss-system format.

Player standings from the official Chess-Results platform show at least eight players with Israeli FIDE IDs listed, but none under the "ISR" (Israel) federation code. Instead, they are all registered under "FID" (FIDE's neutral flag): IM Guy Levin (FIDE ID: 2824213), IM Yotam Shohat (FIDE ID: 2813955), FM Raem Sherman (FIDE ID: 2822288), FM Erez Kupervaser (FIDE ID: 2814587), CM Nikolai A. Grebennikov (FIDE ID: 4121988), Lavi Shtemler (FIDE ID: 2812061), FM Dana Kochavi (FIDE ID: 2837137), and Rem Shlaen (FIDE ID: 2812932). This neutral designation means they cannot display the Israeli flag or represent Israel officially, aligning with the reported ban.

According to breaking reports, the tournament organizers, affiliated with the Basque Chess Federation and possibly the Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA), informed Israeli participants that they could not compete under the Israeli flag due to local policies or concerns. They were given the ultimatum to switch to FIDE's neutral banner or be excluded from the event. This decision was first highlighted by Israeli journalist Elad Simchayoff on X, who described it as a "scoop" and promised more details on Channel 12 News (N12). Screenshots shared by German chess official Paul Meyer-Dunker show the players' federation changed to FID in the official listings, corroborating the switch.

No official statement from the organizers, FEDA, or FIDE was found in searches as of September 5, 2025, though multiple X users have tagged @FIDE_chess and @AjedrezEspanola (FEDA's handle) demanding intervention. The ban does not appear to extend to barring Israeli players entirely, as they are participating under the neutral flag.

The exact rationale hasn't been publicly stated by organizers, but context from similar incidents and regional politics suggests it's tied to pro-Palestinian sentiments in the Basque Country. The region has a history of activism supporting Palestinian causes, including calls for boycotts of Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Some X posts speculate it's a form of solidarity with Palestine or a response to international criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, though no direct link to the 2025 tournament was confirmed. This mirrors past boycotts, such as Saudi Arabia denying visas to Israeli players in 2017 or Iran barring its athletes from facing Israelis.

FIDE's neutral flag policy allows players to compete without national affiliation in cases of political disputes or federation issues, as seen with Russian players post-2022 Ukraine invasion. However, critics argue this application here is discriminatory, as it singles out Israel without similar restrictions on other nations.

The decision has sparked widespread outrage on X, with many labeling it as antisemitic, discriminatory, and a politicization of sports. Posts from pro-Israel accounts, including @Osint613 and @HadashotIsrael, have gone viral, amassing tens of thousands of views and hundreds of reposts. Some users directly questioned FIDE and called for action, while others urged a boycott of the tournament or sanctions against Spain.

Independent outlet Drop Site News also reported on the story, framing it as part of broader anti-Israel actions in sports. Chess community figures, such as Meyer-Dunker (president of the Berlin Chess Association), expressed hope for intervention by FEDA and the Basque federation, calling the decision "disturbing." On the flip side, a few posts from pro-Palestinian accounts supported the move, viewing it as a stand against alleged Israeli actions in Gaza. Discussions on chess forums like Chess.com reflect polarized views, with some users historically calling for bans on the Israeli flag due to geopolitical tensions, though these are unrelated to this specific event.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov indirectly touched on related free speech issues in a recent post, though not specifically about this incident. As of now, no response from FIDE or FEDA has been issued, but the story is gaining traction amid calls for the tournament to be relocated or boycotted.

FIDE has faced criticism for inconsistent handling of such issues; for instance, it banned Russian and Belarusian flags after the 2022 Ukraine invasion but has not applied similar measures to Israel despite activist calls.