Although the year 2020 came with so much joy and improvement, it also came with a deadly virus“THE CORONAVIRUS”. Towards the end of December 2019, China informed the World Health Organization about the coronavirus. Unfortunately, the virus could not be isolated, which made it rapidly spread in China. Who would have thought however that this virus would affect the chess community?
In a recent tweet by GM Ian Rogers, an Australian chess Grandmaster, it was stated that GM Ding Liren, the highest-rated Chinese chess player in history, who is also rated number 3 in the world, and Wang Hao, a well respected Chinese chess Grandmaster would have to arrive early to Russia to sit out a quarantine period for the test of the coronavirus to be able to participate in the upcoming Candidates tournament.
Tweet by GM Ian Rogers:
“The two Chinese players in the upcoming Candidates tournament – the event which finds a challenger to World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen – Ding Liren and Wang Hao, have been asked to arrive in Russia 14 days early and sit out the quarantine period”.
The World Chess Federation (FIDE) however immediately debunked the tweet made by GM Ian Rogers, and demanded a rectification, stating that his information was misleading and not accurate.
The conversation went on between both disagreeing parties and was almost a drag. GM Ian Rogers was obviously displeased, stating that it was the second time a FIDE employee has asked me for a retraction of an accurate report.
FIDE further stated that although an email was sent to the players by their legal adviser, there was however nothing in it that stated for the players sitting out a quarantine period.
We are all anticipating the upcoming Candidates tournament and hope all players get the chance to participate.
Tweets below:
