Koneru Humpy Withdraws from Women’s Candidates Amid Safety Concerns in Cyprus
Koneru Humpy Withdraws from Women’s Candidates Amid Safety Concerns
Bengaluru – In a significant turn of events, Indian chess star Koneru Humpy has officially withdrawn from the Women’s Candidates tournament, citing safety concerns stemming from the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. The world No. 8 informed the International Chess Federation (FIDE) of her decision on Sunday, just a week after expressing her apprehensions to Hindustan Times.
Humpy’s withdrawal leaves two Indian contenders, Vaishali R and Divya Deshmukh, vying for a chance to compete for the title of women’s world champion. With Humpy stepping back, Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk, the next highest-ranked player in the FIDE Women’s Events 2024-25, is poised to take her place, although she has yet to confirm her participation.
“I had a lot of discussions on this subject with people I know,” Humpy shared. “I was closely following all the updates around the war. I just didn’t find the idea of playing under such conditions comfortable, despite all the assurances. I felt I had to prioritize my well-being and safety.”
The tournament is set to take place in Cyprus from March 28 to April 16, but the island’s geographical vulnerability, coupled with the presence of British military bases—one of which was attacked earlier this month—has raised alarms. Humpy emphasized that while Cyprus is a beautiful location, the current climate makes it an unsuitable venue for such a major event.
Entrepreneur Wadim Rosenstein even suggested relocating the tournament to Germany, but no concrete plans materialized. “Had this been a regular open tournament, perhaps there would be others too who would have taken a similar call,” Humpy noted. “When it comes to the Candidates, there’s a lot more at stake, so it’s obviously tough. This just felt like the right decision. It was painful but necessary.”
FIDE had set Sunday as the deadline for Humpy to finalize her decision after discussions earlier in the week. The simultaneous scheduling of both the Open and Women’s Candidates tournaments has raised concerns among players. World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura voiced his worries on social media, highlighting the troubling power outages in parts of Cyprus.
With her withdrawal, Humpy faces a gap in her schedule, having dedicated two years to qualify for this prestigious event. She now has several weeks free before heading to Oslo for the Norway Chess tournament. Despite her absence, Humpy remains engaged with the chess community, picking Zhu Jiner as a potential favorite to win the Women’s Candidates. “Even though I won’t be playing, I’ll be following the Candidates for sure. I’m a chess fan after all,” she concluded.
As the chess world grapples with the implications of Humpy’s decision, her focus on safety underscores the broader concerns surrounding international events in unstable regions.