'Israeli' chess team withdraws from Spanish tournament after flag ban

All seven 'Israeli' players scheduled to compete in this week’s Basque Country chess championship withdrew after organizers initially attempted to prevent them from displaying their national flag.

Organizers of the 40th Basque Country Open in Sestao told the players they could not compete under the 'Israeli' flag, citing the war in Gaza and expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

The Sestao chess club described the move as “a sign of rejection of Israel’s systematic violations of human rights” and an attempt to “express their strongest condemnation of the situation in Gaza.”

The decision sparked criticism from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and highlighted the challenges of separating international sports from geopolitical issues.

FIDE, which was not consulted on the decision, strongly criticized the ban, calling on organizers to avoid discrimination based on nationality or flag and warning of potential sanctions, including refusing to rate the tournament.

Following the backlash, organizers reversed the flag ban but decided not to display any national flags on the tables, instead showing the flags of Spain’s autonomous communities and a Palestinian flag “as a symbolic gesture of support.” Despite the reversal, all seven 'Israeli' players chose to withdraw.

Earlier this month, a similar protest disrupted the Vuelta a España cycling race, where demonstrators called for the exclusion of the Israel-Premier Tech team.