Candidates Chess 2024: The controversy surrounding Iran-born French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja is exhibiting no indicators of dying down.
A day after Alireza claimed he was warned by the chief arbiter on the Candidates 2024 chess event for his footwear making an excessive amount of noise throughout video games, FIDE’s Technical delegate for the Candidates chess event has alleged that Alireza’s father threatened to name the police if he was not allowed to observe video games of his son from the balcony of the enjoying corridor at any time when he wished to.
Reviews from Toronto, the place the 2024 Candidates is being held, instructed that Alireza’s father Hamidreza was escorted out of the enjoying enviornment on the Nice Corridor throughout Spherical 10. Alireza misplaced to Fabiano Caruana in Spherical 10, which left him seventh within the eight-player standings.
Alireza Firouzja reacts after his defeat to Fabiano Caruana in Spherical 10 of the Candidates chess event. (PHOTO: Michal Walusza through FIDE)
Grandmaster Pavel Tregubov, FIDE’s Technical delegate, defined to Chess24‘s reporter on the venue what had occurred to trigger the newest controversy.
Tregubov mentioned that some gamers’ entourages had expressed considerations on the technical assembly earlier than the occasion started that the enjoying enviornment had a viewing gallery for followers from the place anybody may relay info to somebody exterior in real-time, a lot faster than watching on streaming which is operating on a delay to stop dishonest.
“That is why we prohibited entry to the venue for gamers’ entourage for first seven rounds. However in second spherical, Alireza’s father Hamidreza complained about this. he was the one one to complain. I promised him to rethink. We determined to permit workforce members entry to the enjoying corridor within the first quarter-hour since every thing went effectively within the first few rounds. We additionally acquired constructive suggestions from the fairplay workforce. This modified rule went effectively in spherical 8 so we prolonged in rounds 9 and 10. However Hamidreza didn’t use this chance for spherical 8,” Tregubov informed Chess24.
“However someday after the start of the tenth spherical, my workforce informed me that Hamidreza had contacted certainly one of our workers members and threatened to name the police if he’s not allowed to enter the balcony at any time when he desires. Clearly, we couldn’t fulfill this request,” he mentioned. “Once I crossed Hamidreza, he was being a bit aggressive.”
When requested if Alireza’s father could be allowed within the enjoying corridor for the remaining 4 video games, Tregubov mentioned: “We’ll be versatile. If he behaves accordingly. At this time he introduced he’s leaving.”
What occurred in Alireza Firouzja vs Ian Nepomniachtchi sport?
Nepo was in hassle through the sport towards Alireza in Spherical 9 on the Candidates, however escaped with a draw. The consequence saved him within the joint lead together with Gukesh after 9 rounds.
After the sport had ended, Alireza posted a sequence of tweets, slamming the chief arbiter.
“Shameful motion by the chief arbiter Marghetis in the direction of me through the sport. Center of the sport in probably the most intense second once I was strolling throughout Ian’s transfer, chief aribiter got here to me and informed me to not stroll anymore as a result of my shoe is making noise on the picket flooring. He informed me to not stroll and produce new footwear for tomorrow however I’ve the formal shoe that’s accepted and am carrying it for greater than 1 yr. This was a giant distraction for me through the sport and I fully misplaced my focus. I informed one of many organiser this arbiter must be punished,” Alireza had tweeted.