Israeli Teams Observe Yom Kippur, Accept Technical Losses in Uzbekistan Chess Olympics
Israeli chess teams took technical losses at the Uzbekistan Chess Olympiad for refusing to play on Yom Kippur, despite prior FIDE agreement.
Jerusalem, 22 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s men’s and women’s teams received 4-0 technical losses at the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan after refusing to play matches scheduled on Yom Kippur.
The men’s team was to meet the Netherlands, while the women faced Bulgaria in the sixth round. Both opponents declined requests to postpone the matches until later in the day or move them to the scheduled rest day.
The Israel Chess Federation had approached the International Chess Federation (FIDE) about the scheduling six months earlier. Federation President Tzvika Barkai said FIDE had agreed in writing to accommodate Israel but failed to enforce the arrangement. He said the 4-0 results could significantly damage Israel’s standings and accused FIDE of failing to minimize the impact.
Colombia and Singapore had previously agreed to reschedule their matches with Israel, allowing the Israeli players to prepare for and observe the fast.