Pakistan boycotted its scheduled match against Israel at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday.
The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) cited the country’s policy towards Israel and solidarity with the Palestinian people as the reason for the decision.
The Pakistan-Israel match was scheduled for the opening round of the tournament. Pakistan’s players did not take their places at the board, and Israel received a 4-0 walkover as a result.
CFP President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi said that Pakistan has a clear and consistent policy regarding Israel. He pointed out that the federation could not take part in a match that goes against the government’s policy.
“We have boycotted the match to express solidarity with the Palestinian people,” Naqvi said.
Naqvi added that Pakistan will continue participating in international sporting events, but the federation will respect the government’s official position on Israel.
The boycott affected only the fixture against Israel. Pakistan remains part of the tournament and will continue playing its scheduled matches against other teams in the Open section.
The 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand from September 15 to 27.
The event features separate Open and Women’s competitions, with more than 390 teams registered across the two sections, making it one of the largest editions in the tournament’s history.
