Chess Olympiad forfeit row: Israel blasts FIDE for not honouring 'commitments'

NEW DELHI: Israel remained at the centre of discussion at the ongoing 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, after both their men's and women's teams forfeited their Round 6 matches on Monday amid a scheduling dispute tied to the observance of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.The trouble began over the weekend. Israel had requested an early start to their games so they could be completed before Yom Kippur began. The Singapore men's team and the Colombia women's team, their opponents in Round 5, agreed to the adjustment, and the games went ahead on Sunday as scheduled.Monday told a very different story.