Pakistan boycotts match against ‘Israel’ at FIDE Chess Olympiad
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Pakistan’s national chess team forfeited its opening-round match against ‘Israel’ at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, handing the ‘Israeli’ side an automatic 4-0 walkover victory on Wednesday.
The Pakistani squad declined to field any players across the four boards in the Open section.
Official records listed the pairing, yet every board remained empty and no moves were played.
The decision followed Pakistan’s long-standing government policy of non-recognition of ‘Israel’ and was framed as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Chess Federation of Pakistan President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi stated clearly that the federation could not take part in a match that contradicted official policy.
“We have boycotted the match to express solidarity with the Palestinian people,” Naqvi told reporters.
He emphasized that Pakistan maintains a consistent stance and would continue competing in the remaining rounds of the tournament while respecting the government’s position.
Pakistan underscored its rejection of engagement amid the ongoing war on Gaza, where the ‘Israeli’ assault has drawn widespread international condemnation.
‘Israel’ Chess Federation President Zvika Barkai responded that his organization “cannot change global political trends or the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Israel.”
He claimed the focus would remain on using chess to present a positive image of ‘Israel’.
FIDE itself had not issued a public comment by the time major reports appeared.
The episode occurs against a backdrop of growing worldwide boycotts targeting ‘Israeli’ institutions, academics, cultural figures, and sports teams in response to the devastation in Gaza, which many governments, human-rights organizations, and activists have described as genocidal in scale.
Pakistan’s action aligns with this broader wave of refusal to normalize relations while the humanitarian catastrophe continues.
Despite the opening-round loss, the Pakistani team remains fully eligible for the rest of the 11-round Swiss-system Olympiad, which runs through September 27 and features hundreds of national teams.
