Players from both Pakistan and Australia staged protests against Israel at the 46th World Chess Olympiad, with one team pulling out of all matches against the team.

Whilst Pakistan decided not to play against the Israeli team, Australia’s Heather Richards subsequently chose to stage her own individual protest, refusing to sit opposite her Israeli opponent in the seventh round.

These two instances were the most prominent manifestations of the boycott linked to Israel’s participation in the chess tournament, although their backgrounds and the manner in which the decisions were taken differed.

Chess team forfeit to stand with Palestine

In the first round, the Pakistani team did not play any of the four scheduled matches against Israel, so Israel scored a 4-0 win without moving a single chess piece.

The Pakistan Chess Federation announced that the boycott was in line with its country’s policy towards Israel, whilst also expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Its president, Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi, said that his country has a clear and consistent policy towards Israel, and that the federation cannot take part in a match that runs counter to the Pakistani government’s official stance.

He added that the decision was also intended to send a message of solidarity with the Palestinians, whilst emphasising that Pakistan would continue to take part in international sporting events.

The boycott is particularly significant because it was not an individual act by a single player but a decision taken by an entire team at one of the world’s largest sporting events, which brought together more than 200 countries.

Consequently, the pitch – which was supposed to host four players on each side – was left with four tables empty of Pakistani players.

Heather Richards commits to her sense of humanity

A few days later, the boycott shifted from a national federation decision to an individual stance taken by Heather Richards, who was ranked third in the Australian national chess team.

Ahead of the seventh round, Richards announced that she would not play her match against Israel, stating online:

I am taking part in the sporting boycott of Israel… I am doing this because Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Richards also challenged why Israel was allowed to take part in the Olympics whilst Russia remains excluded from the Chess Olympiad due to its invasion of Ukraine.

In her statement, she mentioned “sportswashing”, arguing that Israel’s participation in major sporting events gives it an opportunity to present a normalised image of itself to the world.

Richards said she opposed what she described as “genocide, apartheid and occupation,” and declared her solidarity with the Palestinian people.

It is worth noting here that Richards did not withdraw from the Australian national team, nor did Australia boycott the match as a team. The match between Australia and Israel went ahead and ended 2-2.

From a collective decision to an individual protest

The two incidents reveal two different forms of protest within the tournament: Pakistan took a collective and official decision not to play, whilst Richards chose to take an individual stance within her national team.

However, the timing of the Australian boycott gave it an added dimension as it came after Pakistan’s decision and against the backdrop of a series of other incidents linked to Israel’s participation in the tournament.

Featured image via Mykhel

By Alaa Shamali

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