Multiple-time World Champion and defending World Rapid and Blitz Championship title holder was disqualified from the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship 2024 happening in Wall Street, New York on Saturday.
Carlsen was not paired for Rapid Round 9 after violating the FIDE dress code for the event.
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The Norwegian was fined $200 for wearing jeans before Chief Arbiter Alex Holowzsak disqualified him for repeated violation.
Carlsen also confirmed that he won’t participate in the Blitz section of the event.
“I am pretty tired of FIDE, so I want no more of this. I don’t want anything to do with them. I am sorry to everyone at home, maybe it’s a stupid principle, but I don’t think it’s any fun,” said Carlsen to the Norwegian broadcasting channel NRK.
“I said I don’t want to bother changing now, but I can change until tomorrow, that’s fine. But they didn’t want to compromise. I’ve reached a point where I am pretty upset with FIDE, so I didn’t want to either. Then that’s how it goes,” he added.
Carlsen then gave an interview to Take Take Take where he said, “I said I’ll change tomorrow… but they said you have to change now & it became a matter of principle for me so here we are! Honestly, I’m too old at this point to care too much. If this is what they want to do I” ll probably set off to somewhere where the weather is a bit nicer.”
FIDE, the sports governing body issued a statement addressing the whole situation.
“The dress code regulations are drafted by members of the FIDE Athletes Commission, which is composed of professional players and experts. These rules have been in place for years and are well-known to all participants and are communicated to them ahead of each event. FIDE has also ensured that the players’ accommodation is within a short walking distance from the playing venue, making adherence to the rules more convenient,” said FIDE in a statement released on X.
The statement added, “FIDE remains committed to promoting chess and its values, including respect for the rules that all participants agree to follow.”
Carlsen, a gold medal winner in both Rapid and Blitz sections in Samarkand 2023, did not have the best of starts during this time. After eight rounds, he had five points courtesy of three wins, four draws and a loss.
India’s Arjun Erigaisi, Russia’s Alexander Grischuk and Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda were leading the pack in the Open Section with 6.5 points each after Round 8.
