3 min learnMar 15, 2026 11:44 PM IST
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky has confirmed that the Candidates event will go forward as scheduled regardless of a drone hitting a UK RAF airbase in Cyprus earlier this month. The Candidates event, which is held to finalise a challenger to the world champion, will probably be held in Cap St Georges Resort and Resort, a five-star coastal venue close to Cyprus’ Paphos.
The drone was stated to be launched by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah after Israel and USA began a battle in opposition to Iran. Cyprus is a Mediterranean island flanked by Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Of the 16 gamers who will compete within the Candidates and the Girls’s Candidates occasions, there are 4 Indian grandmasters in motion: Praggnanandhaa competing within the Candidates occasion to earn the suitable to problem D Gukesh whereas Koneru Humpy, Vaishali Rameshbabu and Divya Deshmukh are competing within the Girls’s Candidates occasion to earn the suitable to combat in opposition to Ju Wenjun within the Girls’s World Championship.
Nonetheless, regardless of the assault at a British base earlier this month, Sutovsky stated that the occasion would go forward as scheduled. He added that the president of Cyprus was purported to open the occasion on March 28.
“Plans haven’t modified. We’re working within the last phases of getting ready for the Candidates, that are supposed to begin in two weeks’ time,” Sutovsky advised Chessbase India in an interview. “Clearly, we’ve been monitoring the state of affairs and Cyprus will not be too removed from the battle zone or battle zone. However on the identical time, it isn’t straight concerned in any manner and it isn’t in a state of battle. There isn’t a emergency state of affairs.”
Sutovsky continued: “After all, there was some alarming information like 10 days in the past or one thing like that. Since then, the state of affairs appears to be moderately quiet, however we’re not simply, you understand, counting on the idea that nothing will occur. We monitor and we’re in contact additionally with authorities officers.
“We plan for eventualities, regardless of how unlikely they’re. It’s our agency perception that the present state of affairs doesn’t present any grounds or any affordable causes to truly postpone or to take away the occasion from Cyprus.”