Ahead of the King Salman world championships now underway in Riyadh, the federation known by the acronym FIDE touted the fact that it had negotiated permission for female players to compete without wearing a hijab or headscarf, or the abaya, the body-covering black cloak Saudi women must wear in public. Instead, women are required to wear “dark blue or black formal trouser suits, with high necked white blouses.” FIDE noted that the absence of a strict Islamic dress requirement for women was “a first for any sporting event in Saudi Arabia.”
It came just months after FIDE took flak after allowing Iran to host a women’s chess competition and require players to wear the hijab. Several high-profile players boycotted that event. But while FIDE secured permission to have the dress requirement relaxed for the Dec. 26-30 event, it appeared to unable to shift the Saudis on another key dogma – the boycott of Israel. FIDE said in an earlier statement that it “has raised with the organizers that there may be problems for players from certain countries.” “FIDE has not been advised that any player will not be able to participate,” it said. “FIDE is continuing to work with the organizers to ensure that visas will be issued to all players who have confirmed their participation.”
FIDE was able to get the Saudis to back down on an initial refusal to provide visas to players from Iran and Qatar. Iran is Saudi Arabia’s chief regional rival, and the kingdom is leading a campaign to isolate Qatar over allegations of support for extremism. In a Dec. 24 statement, FIDE announced the breakthrough on Iran and Qatar. FIDE has been working very hard and in a discreet manner to organize and safeguard the process of entry visas for all participants of the event,” it said, adding that Iranians and Qataris were free to take part. “As everybody clearly understands from the above, FIDE and the Saudi organizers are always ready to welcome any participant,” it said. But the statement was silent on Israel.
In a letter to FIDE, Israel Chess Federation head Zvika Barkai pointed out the absence of any reference in the statement to Israel, despite its claim that “FIDE and the Saudi organizers are always ready to welcome any participant.” Barkai asked FIDE to give an assurance that planned future Saudi-hosted events would be canceled, for compensation for Israeli players who were denied visas, and for FIDE to make clear such a situation will not happen again. FIDE’s handbook states that the federation “rejects discriminatory treatment for national, political, racial, social or religious reasons or on account of sex.” FIDE did not take up an invitation to comment on the situation regarding the Israeli boycott, but executive director Nigel Freeman said in an email that “FIDE will issue a full statement after the end of the event.” Queries sent to the Israel Chess Federation brought no response by press time.
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