Controversy over the Tata Steel Chess Tournament emerged after Uzbekistan Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev refused to shake hands with Indian GM R. Vaishali. Before their fourth round, Vaishali awkwardly stretched her hand to reach him but sat down without reciprocating her gesture.
After the viral video, Yakubboev addressed the issue on ‘X,’ in which he said sorry and made a clarification that he was not trying to cause offense. He added that he did not touch other women as a matter of religion, saying, “I do not touch other women for religious reasons.”
2) I respect Vaishali and her brother as the strongest chess players in India. If I have offended her with my behavior, I apologize.
I have some additional explanations:
1. Chess is not haram.— Nodirbek Yakubboev (@NodirbekYakubb1) January 26, 2025
The 23-year-old GM, who became a grandmaster in 2019, said he was a huge admirer of Vaishali and her brother, R. Praggnanandhaa, and maintained that his behavior was based on his personal belief system. He added, “I do not insist others not to shake hands with the opposite gender or for women to wear hijab or burqa. It is their business what to do.
A renowned Uzbek chess Grandmaster, Nodirbek, refused to shake hands with India’s Women’s Grandmaster Vaishali.
Does religion influence sports? However, he was seen shaking hands with other female players earlier. pic.twitter.com/fGR61wvwUP
— Ayushh (@ayushh_it_is) January 27, 2025
Yakubboev then said he had warned his eighth-round opponent, Romania’s Irina Bulmaga, of his religious stand so that she did not make any wrong inferences. He, however said that in games against Vaishali and Divya, he could not forewarn about his beliefs which made things a bit awkward for him.
