Rajabov names reason behind refusal to join Candidates Tournament

Azerbaijani chess player Teymur Rajabov has issued a statement regarding his refusal to participate in the Candidates Tournament this year.

According to Report, the statement reads:

"From March 15 to April 5, 2020, I was supposed to participate in a tournament of candidates for the title of world chess champion in Russia's Yekaterinburg.

"As you know, the epidemic of coronavirus worldwide is increasing. The World Health Organization has announced the highest epidemic level - red. Many competitions and significant events in the world are canceled or postponed to a later date, based on the situation. The FIDE (International Chess Federation) has implemented several, but not all, preventive measures. It was stated that Chinese chess players, their coaches, and accompanying persons would be quarantined for 14 days in Russia. One of the Chinese chess players, coaches, and the delegation are indeed hospitalized.

"However, the second participant from China won't be quarantined and will arrive by the beginning of the tournament from a country where the epidemic of coronavirus is growing every day. Besides, there is no explanation from FIDE how the competition will proceed in case participants, coaches, or accompanying people, journalists, interviewers, judges have signs of a cold or SARS, or, God forbid, a coronavirus. It is also unknown whether participants will be quarantined, how much time, and how many steps are needed to analyze and determine the exact presence or absence of the virus.

"The Candidates Tournament is a chess marathon, held in 14 rounds for 22 days. No one explained how the tournament will be held in the conditions of the global epidemic, what measures will be taken in case the virus or SARS is detected, and what measures will be taken in relation to a sick participant. In this regard, I turned to FIDE with a proposal to postpone the tournament to a later date but received a refusal. In connection with the above mentioned, I considered that such conditions can greatly affect the level of concentration and mood necessary for the game at the highest level in such an important competition as the Candidates Tournament and took into account all possible health risks. As a result, I was replaced by another member."