NEW DELHI: Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy remains undecided on competing in the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, citing security concerns over the ongoing conflict in West Asia.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The prestigious event, which begins on March 28, will determine the challengers to the world titles currently held by D Gukesh in the open section and Ju Wenjun in the women’s category.
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Koneru Humpy Exclusive: Why the chess legend hasn’t played since losing the World Championship Humpy broke her silence on social media and struck a firm but measured tone. “I know I may not be able to make a difference on my own. But regardless of whether or not I play in the candidates, I felt it was important to express what I really felt,” she wrote.She added a scathing note, writing: “I am truly grateful to everyone who has shown their support. For those who cannot understand the sensitivity of this situation, I have decided to let it go.” Security concerns after regional escalationHumpy has previously indicated he is hesitant to travel after a reported drone attack on a British airbase in Cyprus, which has sparked fears the conflict – sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran – could spill over and affect security in the region.Its potential withdrawal raised fears of a wider withdrawal. However, India’s rising stars — Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali and R Praggnanandhaa — are set to compete as scheduled, with preparations continuing despite geopolitical tensions.FIDE plays down the risk, preparations continueFIDE Director General Emil Šutovský sought to allay concerns, insisting there was nothing “remotely dangerous” to warrant a change of venue.“Our plans have not changed. We are in the final stage of preparation for the Candidates Tournament. We are of course monitoring the situation,” Šutovský said.He added that although Cyprus is geographically close to the conflict zone, it is not directly involved and remains stable.
