Israel forfeits two Chess Olympiad matches over Yom Kippur scheduling dispute
Israel's men's and women's teams missed their sixth-round games at the Samarkand Chess Olympiad after the Netherlands and Bulgaria refused to shift the matches for Yom Kippur.
At the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Israel's delegations forfeited their sixth-round encounters after their appeal to adjust the timetable for Yom Kippur was rejected. The men's team was slated to face the Netherlands, featuring world No. 10 Anish Giri, while the women's team was set to play Bulgaria. Israel formally requested that Monday's games start after 7:30 pm local time or be shifted to Tuesday, the tournament's rest day, citing the holy day.
Both opposing teams declined, and the Israeli players did not show up, resulting in 4-0 wins for the Netherlands and Bulgaria. A similar request for round five had been honored by Singapore's men and Colombia's women, allowing those matches to proceed as proposed. This follows a prior incident where Pakistan refused to play Israel in the opening round, also yielding a forfeit win for Israel.
Why it matters
The forfeits highlight how religious observances can clash with international sporting schedules, affecting competition outcomes.
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