Indian Chess Olympiad team stranded in Uzbekistan without accommodation 5 hours after arrival

Grandmaster and non-playing captain of the Indian Chess Olympiad team Srinath Narayanan shared the harrowing experience the team is facing ahead of the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad, with the prestigious event scheduled to begin on Wednesday, September 16.

The team’s arrival in Samarkand did not go as smoothly as expected. Even after spending about five hours at the city’s airport, the Indian players and support staff were reportedly still waiting to be allotted accommodation rooms.

Srinath highlighted the situation on social media and gave followers an insight into the difficulties faced by the Indian contingent upon arrival.

“Horrible experience @FIDE_chess 2026 Olympics.”

“The team landed 5 hours ago at Samarkand airport. The team is still not allocated rooms and it is not at all clear when they will be allocated,” said Srinath on X.

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Published on:

15 Sep 2026 16:57 IST