World chess champion Magnus Carlsen walked out of the World Rapid Chess Championship on Friday after refusing to change out of a pair of jeans, a direct violation of International Chess Federation rules.
FIDE said Carlsen, a five-time world chess champion and seven-time world blitz chess champion, violated long-standing rules for the event. Carlsen, 34, was notified of the violation, fined $200 and asked to change his clothes.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Carlsen refused and, as a result, was not matched for the ninth round,” the organization said in a post on X, adding that the dress code is “designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants”.
“These rules have existed for years and are well known to all participants and are communicated to them before each event,” the organization continued. “FIDE has also ensured that player accommodation is within walking distance of the playing venue, making compliance with the rules more convenient.”
Carlsen told chess channel Take Take Take that before the event he had a lunch meeting and “barely had time to go to the room.” [to] change.”
“So I put on a shirt, a jacket, and honestly, I didn’t even think about jeans. I even changed my shoes, but I didn’t even think about that,” he said. “And then I got here and I don’t know if it was after the first game or the second… They fined me and then they warned me that they wouldn’t match me if I didn’t change my clothes. ”
Carlsen said he was told he could switch after the third round.
“I was like, ‘I’ll change tomorrow if that’s okay with you. I didn’t even realize it today.’ But they were like, ‘You have to change now.’ At that point, it became a matter of principle for me, so here we are “.
Carlsen also withdrew from the World Blitz Championship.
He went on to accuse FIDE of “persecuting players…so they don’t sign with Freestyle,” referring to the Freestyle Chess tournament.
“Basically threatening them that they wouldn’t be able to play the World Championship cycle if they played freestyle. So, honestly, my patience with them wasn’t great to begin with,” Carlsen said.
FIDE Executive Director Emil Sutovsky responded to Carlsen’s claims, calling them a “lie.”
“The only thing we insist on is that no Series or Tour can be called a World Championship unless FIDE approves it. FIDE is the governing body of chess, and any World Championship must be held or approved by FIDE,” he said. Sutovsky in a post on X, adding: “No players were threatened.”
