Pakistan’s national chess team forfeited its opening-round match against the ‘Israeli’ side at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, handing the ‘Israeli’ team an automatic 4-0 walkover victory on Wednesday. The decision was recorded in official pairings for the Open section of the tournament, which is being held in Uzbekistan.
The Pakistani squad declined to field any players across the four boards in the Open section. According to official records, the pairing was listed, yet every board remained empty and no moves were played. Rather than a competitive contest, the result was registered as a forfeit, with the points awarded without play.
The decision followed Pakistan’s long-standing government policy of non-recognition of the ‘Israeli’ entity and was framed as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Chess Federation of Pakistan President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi stated clearly that the federation could not take part in a match that contradicted official policy. “We have boycotted the match to express solidarity with the Palestinian people,” Naqvi told reporters, adding that Pakistan maintains a consistent stance and would continue competing in the remaining rounds while respecting the government’s position.
On the other side, ‘Israel’ Chess Federation President Zvika Barkai responded that his organization “cannot change global political trends or the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Israel.” He claimed the focus would remain on using chess to present a positive image of ‘Israel’. FIDE itself had not issued a public comment by the time major reports appeared.
The development is significant because Pakistan underscored its rejection of engagement amid the ongoing war on Gaza, where the ‘Israeli’ assault has drawn widespread international condemnation. The forfeit was not presented as a sporting decision but as a direct application of foreign policy to the chessboard, distinguishing it from a standard walkover.
The episode occurs against a backdrop of growing worldwide boycotts targeting ‘Israeli’ institutions, academics, cultural figures, and sports teams in response to the devastation in Gaza, which many governments, human-rights organizations, and activists have described as genocidal in scale. Samarkand, as host of one of FIDE’s largest events, has become the latest venue where such political positions have intersected with international sport.
The forfeit does not affect Pakistan’s standing beyond the opening round. Despite the 4-0 loss, the Pakistani team remains fully eligible for the rest of the 11-round Swiss-system Olympiad, which runs through September 27 and features hundreds of national teams. With Pakistan’s action aligning with a broader wave of refusal to normalize relations while the humanitarian catastrophe continues, the case demonstrates how Malaysia-style trade scrutiny is now being mirrored by sporting non-engagement as international attention remains focused on the genocide in Gaza.
