Against the backdrop of weeks of protests in Iran against the mullah regime, Iranian chess has now been drawn into controversy of its own. In a rare and precedent-setting ruling, the International Chess Federation, known as FIDE, determined that the Iranian Chess Federation carried out a deliberate boycott against Israel’s women’s national team and imposed a fine of 25,000 euros.
The decision followed Iran’s failure to appear for its scheduled match against Israel at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, resulting in a technical 4-0 loss.
The disciplinary process was launched after a formal complaint filed by the Israeli Chess Federation through attorney Alon Shulman, arguing that Iran’s absence from the match was not accidental but part of a systematic policy of boycotting Israeli athletes.
FIDE's Ethics and Disciplinary Commission unanimously ruled that the complaint was admissible and constituted a clear violation of the organization’s core principles.
In its decision, the commission stated that there was no dispute over the fact that the Iranian team did not appear for the match. Iran’s defense, claiming the team was unable to reach the venue due to flooding and road closures in the Danube area, was rejected following an examination of the circumstances.
According to testimony from FIDE’s vice president, flooding conditions were under control on the final day of the tournament and no team was prevented from competing. While an emergency plan had been prepared, she said, there was no need to implement it.
FIDE also emphasized that Iran’s men’s team, which was staying at the same hotel and operating under the same logistical conditions, arrived on time for its match against Armenia. The commission wrote that “the selective impact of the flooding, which allegedly affected only the team paired against Israel, does not withstand logical scrutiny and undermines the respondent’s version of events.”
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Precedent decision against Iran amid protests over mullah rule
(Photo: Phil Nijhuis / ANP / AFP)
The ruling further noted that the Olympiad’s chief arbiter had received prior information about the possibility of a boycott and that on the day of the match no official explanation was provided by the Iranian side for its absence.
Given the lack of a credible explanation, and in light of what it described as a “documented history of boycotts against Israeli athletes by Iranian sports representatives,” the commission said it was “comfortably satisfied” that the no-show constituted a deliberate boycott.
FIDE announced that if the fine is not paid within three weeks, the Iranian Chess Federation will be temporarily suspended from FIDE activities, including participation in the general assembly, for a period of one year.
Dr. Zvika Barkai, chairman of the Israeli Chess Federation, welcomed the decision. “This is an important ruling that restores honor and justice to Israeli sport,” he said. “I commend FIDE for its firm stance alongside us and for decisive action against any conduct that contradicts the values of chess.
"We will never accept political boycotts against our athletes, and this decision makes it unequivocally clear that any attempt to discriminate on a nationalist basis will carry consequences.”
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Israeli Chess Federation Chairman Zvika Barkai, Sports Minister Miki Zohar and Federation Director-General Gil Borochovsky
(Photo: Israel Chess Federation)
Meanwhile, the Israeli Chess Federation is completing preparations for the Israeli Championship, the country’s most prestigious chess competition, which will be held in Acre from January 19 to January 27, 2026, in cooperation with the Acre municipality and Mayor Amihai Ben Shlush.
The tournament will be open to the public and will feature a total prize of 90,000 shekels. Alongside the championship, chess events will be held at various institutions across the city to make the game more accessible to the wider public. “It will be an experience for everyone,” said Federation Director-General Gil Borochovsky.