Carlsen threatens to drop the World Champion in speed chess

Magnus Carlsen.Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB Scanpix

Magnus Carlsen gave the International Chess Federation (FIDE) a clear message. He will boycott the World Championship in speed chess unless all qualifying is allowed.

 

During last year’s World Championship in Saudi Arabia, Israeli players were not allowed to participate. FIDE has not confirmed where and when the championship this year will be played, but federal vice president,Georgios Makropoulos, announced last year to VG newspaper that the Saudi Arabians had landed a three-year agreement to host the World Champioship in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

“If it is the World Championship, all qualified players are allowed to join,I would like to join” said Carlsen to VG newspaper.

In answer to the question of what happens if last year’s situation is repeated,‘’then I will not participate’’ said Carlsen.

According to VG, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington explained on Twitter that they do not hand out visas to players from countries they “historically do not have diplomatic relations with”.

Carlsen took his third World Championship title in speed chess last year. He has also been world champion three times in classical chess, and in November he will defend the title against American, Fabiano Caruana, in London.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today