Pakistan Boycotts Israel Match at Chess Olympiad in Samarkand
SAMARKANDضPakistan boycotted its scheduled opening-round match against Israel at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday.
Pakistan and Israel were paired against each other in the first round of the international team event. However, the Pakistani team did not take part in the scheduled match, resulting in a 4-0 walkover for Israel. ([Rediff][2])
President of the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP), Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, said the decision was taken in line with Pakistan’s official policy regarding Israel.
“Pakistan has a clear and consistent policy regarding Israel, and we cannot participate in a match contrary to the government’s policy,” Naqvi said. He added that the decision was also intended to express solidarity with the Palestinian people. ([Associated Press of Pakistan][1])
Naqvi further said that Pakistan would continue participating in international sporting events while respecting the government’s official position on Israel.
The 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad is taking place in Samarkand from September 15 to 27. The event features separate Open and Women’s competitions and has attracted hundreds of national teams from around the world. FIDE says around 200 national teams are competing across the two sections. ([FIDE][3])
Pakistan remains part of the tournament despite forfeiting its opening-round match against Israel. ([World Chess][4])
اگر آپ چاہیں تو میں اسی خبر کا **مختصر Breaking News style** ورژن بھی بنا سکتا ہوں۔
[1]: https://www.app.com.pk/sports/pakistan-boycotts-israel-match-at-samarkand-chess-olympiad/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Pakistan boycotts Israel match at Samarkand Chess Olympiad”[2]: https://www.rediff.com/sports/report/chess-olympiad-pakistan-boycotts-israel-match-in-solidarity-with-palestine/20260916.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Chess Olympiad: Pakistan ‘Boycotts’ Israel Match In Solidarity With Palestine”
[3]: https://www.fide.com/tickets-for-the-46th-fide-chess-olympiad-now-on-sale/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Tickets for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad now on sale – International Chess Federation”
[4]: https://worldchess.com/news/chess-olympiad-2026-everything-you-need-to-know?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Chess Olympiad 2026: Everything You Need To Know / News / World Chess – Official FIDE Online Chess Gaming Platform”
