Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy remains undecided about competing in the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, citing safety concerns amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The prestigious event, set to begin on March 28, will determine challengers to the world championship titles currently held by D Gukesh in the open section and Ju Wenjun in the women’s category.
Breaking her silence on social media, Humpy struck a firm yet measured tone. “I know that alone, I may not be able to change anything. But regardless of whether I play in the Candidates or not, I felt it was important to express what I genuinely feel,” she wrote.She added a pointed remark, writing: “I’m truly grateful to everyone who has shown their support. For those who cannot understand the sensitivity of this situation, I choose to leave it at that.”
Security fears after regional escalationHumpy had earlier indicated hesitation about travelling after a reported drone attack on a British air base in Cyprus, raising fears that the conflict — triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran — could spill over and impact safety in the region.Her potential withdrawal sparked concerns of a wider pullout. However, India’s rising stars — Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali and R Praggnanandhaa — are set to compete as scheduled, with preparations continuing despite the geopolitical tension.FIDE downplays risk, preparations continueFIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky sought to allay fears, insisting there is nothing “remotely dangerous” to warrant a venue change.“Our plans have not changed. We are in the final stages of preparing the Candidates Tournament. Of course, we are monitoring the situation,” Sutovsky said.He added that while Cyprus is geographically close to the conflict zone, it is not directly involved and remains stable.
