Chess Controversy: Magnus Carlsen Exits Championships Over Dress Code Dispute
NEW YORK – In a surprising turn of events, top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen has withdrawn from the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships after defying the event’s dress code by wearing jeans. The International Chess Federation confirmed his departure, citing the violation of their established regulations.
In an official statement released on Friday, the federation emphasized the importance of adhering to the dress code, which prohibits jeans during the competition. The Chief Arbiter addressed Carlsen’s breach, imposing a $200 fine and requesting he change into appropriate attire. However, Carlsen declined to comply, resulting in his exclusion from round nine.
The 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster acknowledged the fine through a video message, expressing his willingness to change attire the following day. "I said, ‘I’ll change tomorrow if that’s OK," he explained. "But they said, ‘Well, you have to change now.’ At that point, it became a bit of a matter of principle for me.”
The federation reiterated that the dress code serves to uphold professionalism and fairness among all participants. Additionally, fellow competitor Ian Nepomniachtchi also faced consequences for failing to adhere to the dress code but opted to comply and continued with the tournament after changing his footwear.
Officials underscored that these rules have been in place for years and are consistently communicated to all participants prior to each event, emphasizing the uniform application of regulations across the championship.
