FIDE Awards Israel Default Losses on Yom Kippur After Broken Promise

The Israeli national chess teams, both men's and women's, suffered 0-4 technical defeats at the World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) refused to reschedule matches falling on Yom Kippur, September 21. This decision contradicts a written agreement FIDE made with the Israeli Chess Federation in January, promising to adjust the schedule to avoid games during the Jewish holiday.

According to the Israeli Chess Federation, FIDE had initially assured them that games on the eve of Yom Kippur would be moved to earlier times, and those scheduled for Yom Kippur itself would be postponed until after the fast concluded. However, FIDE later stated that any schedule changes would depend on negotiations with Israel's randomly drawn opponents.

While Colombia and Singapore agreed to reschedule their matches against the Israeli teams, the Netherlands and Bulgaria refused. This refusal led to the technical losses for Israel, as the players chose not to compete on Yom Kippur. Dr. Tzvi Barkai, Chairman of the Israeli Chess Federation, expressed extreme disappointment, stating, "They simply deceived us." The Israeli federation indicated that the Dutch team was initially willing to reschedule but lacked approval, while Bulgaria immediately opposed any change.

Both the Israeli men's and women's teams were reportedly in excellent form and performing well, with strong prospects for high rankings. The technical losses have significantly diminished their chances in the tournament. The Israeli Chess Federation plans to explore legal options and seek compensation from FIDE for the damages incurred.