The Cyprus Chess Federation has strongly criticised Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy for withdrawing from the upcoming Women’s Candidates Tournament, with its president calling the move misguided and damaging to the sport. Criton Tornaritis, who heads the federation, expressed disappointment over Humpy’s decision to pull out of the marquee event, scheduled to begin on March 28, citing security concerns in the region.
He said raising such fears publicly was unwarranted and reflected poorly on the tournament and its stakeholders.Humpy opted out of the event due to safety concerns linked to the ongoing tensions in the Gulf region due to the US-Israel-Iran war, with Cyprus located close to a region witnessing heightened geopolitical strain.
“As President of the Cyprus Chess Federation, I am sincerely disappointed by Koneru Humpy’s decision to withdraw, citing that Cyprus is ‘not safe’,” Tornaritis wrote on X.
“The 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament is one of the largest and most important chess events in the world. This is simply wrong. Spreading unfounded concerns harms the sport and shows a lack of respect for the organizers and the players involved,” he added.
Among the 16-player field, Humpy is the only participant to have cited serious security concerns. Other Indian players, R Praggnanandhaa in the Open section, and Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali in the women’s event, remain in contention and are expected to compete in Cyprus.
WHY HUMPY WITHDREW FROM CANDIDATES 2026
Humpy had earlier explained that competing in such an environment would be difficult, stating that one cannot perform calmly while being “surrounded by warships” guarding the island. She also drew a comparison, saying that if an event could be held under such circumstances, it might as well be conducted in Jammu & Kashmir.
Responding to the situation, Tornaritis reiterated his stance, saying, “At the highest level of chess, decisions are based on calculation and facts, not fear or misinformation. It was a bad move (by Humpy).”
Humpy, however, stood by her decision, suggesting that the tournament could have been deferred or relocated without significant inconvenience. She also argued that the participation of other players did not necessarily justify proceeding with the event as planned.
“They (international chess federation, FIDE) could have waited for another month or so. The tensions would ease and there wouldn’t be any hazards,” said Humpy, who secured her Candidates berth after finishing runner-up at last year’s Women’s World Cup.
Concerns in the region were further heightened earlier this month after a drone strike targeted a UK military base.
Following Humpy’s withdrawal, Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk was named as her replacement in the draw.
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