Protesting Kashmir, Pakistan’s Chess Olympiad Contingent Returns Home
ATTARI, (IANS) – Protesting over the Chess Olympiad Torch passing through Kashmir, the 13-member Pakistan team, including two officials, crossed the international border via the Integrated Check Post here and returned home on July 29.
The Pak chess team had arrived in India to participate in the 44th Chess Olympiad being held in Chennai from July 29 to August 10.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had accused India of mixing politics with sports. As a mark of protest, the Pakistan government announced the pull-out of its contingent.
The contingent had also refused to take part in the opening ceremony on July 28, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With the withdrawal of Pakistan, the total number of confirmed entries for the Chess Olympiad is now 187 in the Open category and 161 in the women’s section.
India was allowed to field a third team to make the entries even. Normally, a Chess Olympiad host nation can field two teams in both sections.
The FIDE had earlier banned Russia and Belarus from participating in the event following Russia’s military action in Ukraine. China is also not participating in the event.
Harsha
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No they didn’t have the funds to stay in a posh hotel for 15 days and they rest of the hotels were very apprehensive of hosting Pakistani delegates for the fear of any terrorist link and damage to their reputation in Tamil Nadu also, they came by train because they couldn’t afford flights you can see no flights tags on even one luggage above. When Pakistan denied them any additional funds for hotel they returned. Pakistan used their return to peddle the kashmir issue again they needed a reason for return and they gave one as being broke was not a good reason. The USD to pkr has already reached 246 so they cannot send anyone anywhere. You can look at the common wealth delegates of Pakistan 100% of the costs were put up by the candidates themselves who wanted a medal from the common wealth so they can immigrate to other developed countries… This is the ground reality which no journalist is willing to cover…
July 30, 2022