Carlsen va être de retour. MAXPPP – TOLGA AKMEN
La Fédération internationale des échecs (Fide) a annoncé dimanche une plus grande "flexibility" in the World Championships dress code, removing an obstacle to the return to competition of Norwegian champion Magnus Carlsen, who was recently sanctioned for wearing jeans.
“I have taken the decision to test an approach aimed at giving Fide officials more flexibility in their judgments regarding the suitability of clothing,”, Fide President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000While reaffirming the need to respect the official dress code, the federation now allows “minor elegant deviations (which may, in particular, include jeans matching the jacket)”, he specified.
The affair broke out when Magnus Carlsen, considered one of the best players in history, was sanctioned for wearing jeans during the World Rapid-Pace and Blitz Championships in New York. This decision earned him a fine of 200 dollars (around 191 euros) and a ban from participating in a round.
Sanction and withdrawal of Magnus Carlsen
Furious, the Norwegian announced his withdrawal from the rapid competition for the third and final day, as well as from the blitz event, of which he was the defending champion.
“We don't want people to show up to tournaments without making any effort,” Carlsen said Sunday in an interview on the chess platform Take Take Take, which he co-founded. Accepting the fine, he nevertheless pleaded “mistake”, saying he had just come back from a meal and had forgotten to change.
Recurring tensions with Fide
The incident is the latest in a series of disagreements between Carlsen and Fide. The champion refuses to participate in the long-game world championship, the most prestigious title, which he considers boring in its current format. He is also investing in the development of a chess variant, chess 960, with a view to creating a parallel circuit.
In December 2023, the federation had already sparked controversy by fining Dutch player Anna-Maja Kazarian 100 euros for wearing sneakers, which were deemed non-compliant. She was forced to change her shoes for heels. Wearing sneakers remains prohibited this year.
The issue of the dress code in chess competitions is divisive, between tradition and modernity. With this relaxation, Fide hopes to ease tensions and avoid new controversies, while maintaining a certain standing in international tournaments.