Of the eight players in the WC in Iceland, two of them are so-called wildcards, a free pass straight to the final rounds in Iceland. One of the free cards was handed out by the president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Russian Arkady Dvorkovich invited compatriot Jan Nepomnyashchij to the tournament. These are qualified for the Fischer Chess World Cup Wesley So (qualified as reigning champion) Magnus Carlsen (qualified as a losing finalist in the previous World Cup) Vladimir Fedosejev (qualified on chess.com) Matthias Blübaum (qualified on chess.com) Hikaru Nakamura (qualified on Lichess ) Nodirbek Abdusattorov (qualified at Lichess) Hjörvar Steinn Gretarsson (free pass from the Icelandic Chess Federation) Jan Nepomnjasjtsjij (free pass from the president of the International Chess Federation) “Nepo” is ranked as the world’s third best player and lost the WC match against Magnus Carlsen last year. news’s chess expert believes he is a qualified chess expert, but because of the war in Ukraine, that is objectionable. – Dvorkovich had an opportunity to break with the prejudices he would claim we have against them. Instead, he gives even more reason to say that “Fide and chess are – as one of the few special associations – in the pocket of the Russians”, says news’s chess expert Atle Grønn. CRITICAL: news’s expert Atle Grønn. Photo: Jørund Wessel Carlsen / news “Nepo”: – Not undeservedly, Jøran Aulin-Jansson is vice-president of the International Chess Federation, and partially understands the criticism from Atle Grønn. He believes it is mitigating that the Russian himself has come out actively against the war in Ukraine in an open letter to the Russian authorities. The letter entitled “Stop the war” was signed by 44 Russian players, and was sent to Vladimir Putin on April 20 this year, according to chess.com. – In that sense, it is difficult to charge him with the misdeeds committed by Russians in Ukraine. At the same time, I have to admit that I understand people may think that it is objectionable, says Aulin-Jansson to news. VICE PRESIDENT: Jøran Aulin-Jansson. Photo: Helge Tvedten / news “Nepo” says that he suffers with the war’s victims, and that they affect him as a person. At the same time, he feels as qualified as many others in the tournament, and believes that only four players have been through a real qualification. – I would not say that everyone qualified. Wesley won the previous WC so he didn’t qualify. Magnus has not qualified either. I think this question applies to half the gang, he says and adds: – I don’t think it’s undeserved. I’m not the worst player in history either, so there was probably a reason for that. RUSSIAN: Jan Nepomnashchij lives in Russia, but during the WC he represents the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Photo: Alem Zebic / news The vice-president: – Considering banning Russians Vladimir Fedoseyev, who has moved to Spain after Russia attacked Ukraine, is also participating in the World Cup. – I am completely against what is happening in Ukraine, and I am against the decisions and the politics. Neither he nor “Nepo” are allowed to represent Russia, and play under the Fide flag. Aulin-Jansson believes there is a constant discussion about whether the Russians should still be allowed to play such tournaments, or whether they should be thrown out of all tournaments. – There is a discussion all the way through, but we haven’t landed on anything yet, he says. Criticism has come from many quarters against the Russian Fide president Arkady Dvorkovich, who gave Nepomnyashchi a free place in the World Cup. Dvorkovich was re-elected this summer, fueling the theory that the Russians rule the chess world. – Chess has not been able to give a good answer as to why chess should be any different from the rest of the sports world in terms of sanctions. Then it is natural that the answer must be that chess is controlled by the Russians, says Atle Grønn.
ttn-69
Banned from an entire sports world – got a free place in the World Cup in fischer chess – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
