The upcoming Candidates 2026 tournament has been marred by controversy over its venue in Cyprus, which is close to the ongoing Gulf conflict. The tournament is set to take place at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, despite concerns over player safety.
Koneru Humpy, a top Indian chess player, has withdrawn from the tournament citing security concerns, questioning if FIDE really cared about player safety and asking if they would host tournaments in Jammu and Kashmir.
In response, the chief of Cyprus's chess federation, Criton Tornaritis, slammed Humpy, calling her decision 'a bad move' and stating that Cyprus is a 'safe country to travel'.
FIDE has released a safety manual, stating that the risk is 'extremely low and overstated' and that power shortages in Cyprus are 'very rare and typically short-lived'. The manual also claims that the tournament venue is fully equipped with backup power generators, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply throughout the event.
However, American GM Hikaru Nakamura has highlighted the dire situation in Cyprus, stating that the country is experiencing constant power outages, and Dutch GM Anish Giri has taken a dig at FIDE, calling their response 'FIDE finally giving a FAQ!'
