'Israelis' barred from FIDE chess competition due to participation dispute

• The World Amateur Chess Championship is scheduled for November 4–13 in Malaysia, where entry restrictions on ‘Israeli’ citizens could prevent eligible players from competing.
• The dispute raises questions about FIDE’s commitment to equal participation, following previous controversies over access for ‘Israeli’ athletes at international sporting events.

The World Amateur Chess Championship, organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), is scheduled to take place from November 4 to 13 in Klang, Malaysia, despite the country’s restrictions on entry for ‘Israeli’ citizens.

FIDE’s official announcement states that “all FIDE member federations and all eligible players are invited to participate.” However, Malaysia’s immigration policy could prevent ‘Israeli’ players from attending, raising questions about whether the tournament can guarantee equal access to all eligible competitors.

Lior Eisenberg, who has campaigned against boycotts of ‘Israel’ in sports and culture, told Walla that he contacted the tournament organizer to ask about participation and was initially informed that ‘Israelis’ could not compete because of Malaysia’s immigration policy.

Eisenberg said the organizer subsequently deleted the original message and sent another saying they would get back to him.

“A place that does not accept ‘Israelis’ or players from any other country should not be allowed to host a world championship,” Eisenberg said.

Malaysia does not maintain diplomatic relations with ‘Israel’ and has imposed restrictions on the entry of ‘Israeli’ citizens. The policy has previously affected international sporting events hosted by the Southeast Asian country.

In July, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reiterated his government’s position against allowing ‘Israeli’ citizens to enter the country. Malaysia’s Interior Ministry has also stated that travel documents issued by ‘Israel’ are not recognized for entry.

The restrictions have raised concerns about whether the championship can accommodate all eligible participants, regardless of nationality.

The dispute has drawn attention to FIDE’s position on discrimination in international chess. In 2019, the federation publicly opposed holding competitions in countries that would not guarantee entry to all eligible players, regardless of nationality or citizenship.

That year, the International Paralympic Committee stripped Malaysia of the right to host the World Para Swimming Championships after the country failed to guarantee that ‘Israeli’ swimmers would be allowed to enter and compete. The event was subsequently moved to London.

Eisenberg, who was involved in campaigning over the swimming championship, is calling for similar action over the chess tournament. He argues that FIDE should relocate the event if organizers cannot guarantee access for all eligible players.

The central issue, he said, is whether international sporting competitions should be hosted in countries where entry restrictions prevent athletes from certain nationalities from participating.

The Malaysia dispute follows a separate controversy involving ‘Israeli’ grandmaster Alexander (Aharon) Bagrationi, who was born in Ukraine and lives in Germany.

Organizers of the Amsterdam Chess Open contacted Dutch organization The Rights Forum following concerns about Bagrationi’s links to chess clubs in Judea and Samaria. The organization recommended that he not be allowed to participate.

Following the controversy, tournament organizers announced plans to introduce a policy, beginning in January 2027 and subject to legal review, barring players representing clubs located in territories that an international court has determined to be under illegal occupation.

Bagrationi rejected attempts to attach political significance to his club memberships, arguing that the clubs are recognized by both the ‘Israeli’ chess system and FIDE. He will not participate in this year’s tournament, saying his decision was due to family commitments rather than the controversy.

The latest dispute also follows an incident at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, where Pakistan’s national team refused to play against ‘Israel’ last month.

The president of the Pakistan Chess Federation said the decision reflected his country’s policy and solidarity with Palestinians. ‘Israel’ was awarded a win by default.

FIDE has previously condemned discrimination against players based on nationality or flag. In September 2025, following an attempt to prevent ‘Israeli’ players from competing under their national flag at a tournament in Spain, the federation said it “strongly condemns all forms of discrimination, including on the basis of nationality and flag.”

The federation also stated that the same rules apply to ‘Israel’ as to other member federations not subject to sanctions.

Eisenberg argues that FIDE must apply those principles consistently and reconsider Malaysia’s hosting rights if participation cannot be guaranteed.

It remains unclear whether FIDE will formally address the concerns or whether the World Amateur Chess Championship will be moved to another country.