India, Jan. 27 -- Vaishali Rameshbabu has become embroiled in controversy at the ongoing Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. During the fourth round of the Challengers' Section, she was scheduled to compete against Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev.

The Uzbek player arrived late, and when Vaishali extended her hand for the customary greeting, he declined her gesture and instead made a hand signal. This action was perceived as disrespectful by many fans and fellow chess players, who questioned the rationale behind his refusal to acknowledge Vaishali, who is also a grandmaster.

Subsequently, Nodirbek took to X, previously known as Twitter, to apologize to Vaishali Rameshbabu while explaining that his religious beliefs (Islam) prohibit him from shaking hands with women. However, fans noted that he had previously shaken hands with Divya Deshmukh in 2023, which he admitted was a mistake. In reality, he was paired with Divya in the current tournament and opted for a fist bump instead of a handshake, raising further questions about the consistency of his stance.

Nodirbek's actions were criticized by Germany's sole female grandmaster, Elisabeth Pahtz. She expressed her disapproval of X, stating, "I hold him responsible for his 'hand gesture of refusal,' which exacerbated the situation."

In another tweet, she remarked, "This practice is also observed among Jewish individuals. If a Jewish man is married, he is permitted to touch only his wife, which can be seen as a compliment and a form of honour. There is an American Jewish grandmaster who has apologized in advance for declining a handshake."

Pahtz suggested that Nodirbek could have opted for an alternative gesture instead of a handshake, stating, "He could have simply used a sign or nodded his head. His gesture was one of 'refusal' and 'disrespect.' I can only imagine how irritating this must have been for Vaishali, who is a young and genuinely kind individual."

"She won that game! I meant to convey that her character would not allow for public disputes, attacks, or conflicts. She is simply too kind."

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