Chess Federation looking into alleged ban on Israeli flag at Spanish tournament

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) said on Friday it was not involved in and had not been consulted over an alleged decision by a Spanish tournament to forbid Israeli players from competing under their national flag.

"FIDE had no prior knowledge of this decision, did not make any ruling on this, nor was it consulted by the organisers," the federation said in a statement. "FIDE strongly condemns any form of discrimination, including on the basis of nationality and flag. The same rules apply to Israel and its players as to all other member federations that are not under any form of sanctions." The organisers of the Bilbao Sestao Basque Country tournament, which starts next week, were not immediately reachable for comment.

The governing body said it has requested detailed information from the organisers and will take all necessary actions to ensure its principles are upheld. The Times of Israel, citing "Hebrew media outlets", reported that organisers had sent a letter to seven Israeli players informing them of the decision to ban the country's flag "for reasons beyond our control".

Chess players from Russia and Belarus have been required to compete under the FIDE flag since 2022 following sanctions imposed after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. But Israeli players are not subject to such restrictions. The dispute comes amid heightened tensions over the war in Gaza, where Israel's military campaign against Hamas has left large parts of the territory in ruins and created what aid agencies describe as a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. International calls for a ceasefire and a revival of efforts towards a two-state solution have continued to grow. Sport in Spain was thrust into the spotlight for political reasons earlier this week when stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana cycle race in Bilbao was cut short after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted procedures at the finish line and demanded that the Israel-Premier Tech team be ejected from the race.

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