The Indian capital New Delhi hosts the third leg of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022/23 series. The event takes place from March 24 to April 5, and officially opened yesterday. The tournament supposed to kick off with the first round on Saturday, 25th of March. However, due to organizational issues, the first round was postponed.
The 12-player round-robin tournament is shortened to 11-player format as GM Zhansaya Abdumalik withdrew from the event after bad reception at the airport. According to our sources among the players (names known to Chess Topics redaction), Abdumalik and other players weren’t met by tournament officials at the airport and basically had no official reception. Facing the bad conditions, some of the players considered to withdraw from the championship and asked for the prompt reaction by FIDE which didn’t have the representative in India at the time of the start of the tournament.
FIDE President Mr. Akrady Dvorkovich sent the apologize letter to the players. “On behalf of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), I would like to extend our sincerest apologies for the mishandling of the Women’s Grand Prix tournament in India. We deeply regret the problems and inconveniences you have experienced, which has led to one player withdrawing from the tournament”, reads the letter.
Considering all the arguments in place, FIDE decided to continue with the Women’s Grand Prix tournament in India and appointed an additional coordinator in New Delhi to be at the full disposal to the participants. All affected players will also be provided with compensation of any additional expenses they may have incurred or will incur during the tournament.
The event should start tomorrow with the first round if the players agree with the FIDE proposal on the tournament continuation. The line-up will feature: GM Humpy Koneru (India, 2576), GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE, 2576), GM Kateryna Lagno (FIDE, 2560), GM Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia, 2525), GM Harika Dronavalli (India, 2511), GM Nino Batsiashvili (Georgia, 2489), WGM Zhu Jiner (China, 2489), IM Polina Shuvalova (FIDE, 2484), GM Elisabeth Paehtz (Germany, 2474), IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan, 2440), and IM Rameshbabu Vaishali (India, 2433).
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian Grandmasters Anna and Mariya Muzychuk withdrew from the tournament and have been replaced by Nino Batsiashvili and Vaishali Rameshbabu.
