Pakistan team pulls out of Chess Olympiad 2022 after arriving in Chennai

Mahabalipuram, July 28: The Pakistan Chess Team has pulled out of the 44th Chess Olympiad, starting in Mahabaipuram on Thursday (July 28). The opening ceremony of the Chess Olympiad is being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin are amongst the top names to grace the event.

As per latest reports, Pakistan has called off the participation of its chess team in the global tournament at the eleventh hour due to political reasons.

India's neighbouring country has apparently claimed that the passing of the torch relay from Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir is the reason behind the boycott of the event. India and Pakistan have had bitter relations due to the Kashmir issue.

Slamming Islamabad for its decision to boycott the event, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi expressed his shock.

"It is surprising that Pakistan has taken a decision not to participate in Chess Olympiad even after their team reached India," Bagchi said.

Earlier in the day, All India Chess Federation's General Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan, while interacting with the media persons during the pre-event press conference, had denied such reports as rumours and claimed that the chess team from Pakistan has already arrived in Chennai to participate in the tournament which sees participation from 189-plus countries.

"I am not aware of any such development (on Pakistan boycotting the event). We had arranged for their visas. Their national team has already reached Chennai and said they are going to play. But I have no official communication from their side abiut pulling out," Chauhan told at the press conference, which was also attended by FIDE president Arkady Dvorcovic.

The AICF officials were, however, unavailable for comments when MyKhel contacted them.

Earlier while speaking with Mykhel about the relations between Indian and Pakistani Chess federation, Chauhan had claimed the two bodies share a good rapport despite estranged political relations.

"Our federation has no conflicts with the Pakistani chess federation and we have had very good relations with them. India has been voting for Pakistan at the World Chess Federation since 2006. We have been receiving Pakistan's proxy. The Pakistani team is arriving in India for the Olympiad," Chauhan had claimed.