On the social network X, Polish politician Jacek Wilk appreciated the refusal of his compatriot Jan-Krzysztof Duda to shake hands with Russian chess player Denis Khismatullin at the World Rapid Chess Championship.
“Sports are supposed to be an alternative to politics, so mixing politics with sports is a sign of weakness and goes against its essence. The athlete needs to decide what he is doing; sports or politics,” Wilk said.
Later, the Pole emphasized that he was not criticizing Duda specifically, but the fact of mixing sports and politics. He added that this attitude also applies to Russian athletes.
During the competitions held in Samarkand between 26 and 30 December, Khismatullin extended his hand to Duda before one of the matches, to which he responded with a gesture of rejection. A video of this moment spread on social networks in early January 2024.
The match between Duda and Khismatullin ended in a draw. The Pole could have been disqualified for refusing to shake hands, but the Russian did not complain.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has decided to deprive Russian and Belarusian chess players of the right to compete in tournaments under the flag and anthem of their countries in 2022. Chess players will be able to participate in competitions under the flags of the Russian Chess Federation (RFC) / Belarusian Chess Federation (BCF) or FIDE.
The FIDE Council had previously allowed the FCR to move from the European Chess Union to the Asian Chess Federation.
Previously Khismatullin statedHe said he was not disturbed by Duda’s move.