December 28th 2024.
Renowned chess player Magnus Carlsen recently made headlines when he withdrew from the World Rapid Chess Championship. The reason for his abrupt departure? His refusal to change out of the jeans he was wearing for the tournament.
Carlsen, who holds the prestigious title of world number one in chess and has won the World Chess Championship five times, explained that he had worn the jeans for a lunch meeting and simply did not think to change into a different pair of pants before heading to the event. He was dressed in a collared shirt, blazer, dark jeans, and black shoes when he was asked by a tournament official to change his trousers.
The chess federation, also known as FIDE, issued a statement stating that Carlsen had violated the tournament's dress code by wearing jeans and was fined $200 for his actions. "This decision was made impartially and applies equally to all players," FIDE clarified.
However, Carlsen, who has been a chess grandmaster since the young age of 13, refused to comply and subsequently withdrew from the tournament. In an interview with chess channel Take Take Take, he revealed that the argument over his attire had become a matter of principle for him.
"I haven't appealed the decision, honestly I'm too old at this point to care too much. If this is what they want to do, then so be it," Carlsen stated. "No one wants to back down, and if this is where we are, then that's fine by me." He also added that he would most likely be leaving for a place with better weather than where the tournament was being held.
The 34-year-old chess master also shared that he had received a fine after the first or second game and was later warned that he would not be allowed to continue playing if he did not change his clothes. "They said I could do it after the third round today. I suggested changing tomorrow, but they insisted on it being done immediately," Carlsen explained.
In the end, Carlsen's decision to stick to his choice of attire resulted in his withdrawal from the tournament. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on his future participation in similar events, but one thing is for sure - Magnus Carlsen is not one to back down from a stand he believes in.
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