Pakistan was paired against Israel in the opening round of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, amid reports that the Pakistani team refused to play the match.
The Round 1 pairing officially lists Israel against Pakistan in the Open section of the tournament. The match was scheduled for September 16 at 3pm local time.
According to the report, Pakistan’s decision not to play against Israel was described by the Pakistan Chess Federation as consistent with the country’s longstanding policy regarding participation in sporting events involving Israel.
The report further stated that Pakistan’s absence resulted in points being awarded to the opposing team. However, the available tournament record reviewed for this report does not yet provide an official explanation for the result or independently confirm the circumstances surrounding Pakistan’s reported withdrawal.
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand from September 16 to 27, with 208 teams in the Open section and 192 in the Women’s section. FIDE describes the event as a record-breaking Olympiad, bringing together teams from around the world.
Pakistan’s registered Open team includes FM Muhammad Waqar, FM Amer Karim, CM Mafaaz Khalid, Zaman Sohail and Zorez Shabkhez, with Raja Gauhar listed as captain.
The tournament consists of 11 rounds under a team Swiss-system format, with the final round scheduled for September 27.