India, Jan. 17 -- The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships, held at the end of 2024 in New York, was marred by several controversies. The Rapid tournament was particularly affected by the incident involving Magnus Carlsen and his choice of attire. Subsequently, the Blitz Championship also faced its share of disputes, notably when Carlsen shared the title with Ian Nepomniachtchi.

During the Rapid Championship, Carlsen appeared in jeans, which, while permissible under FIDE regulations, led to a fine and a warning that he would be disqualified from further rounds if he did not change into formal trousers. In protest, he withdrew from the event and criticized FIDE officials, including Viswanathan Anand, questioning their qualifications. Additionally, he alleged that FIDE had threatened to exclude Freestyle Grand Slam players from the World Championship cycle.

In a rare public response, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich addressed Carlsen's comments regarding senior officials like Anand. "If you wish to criticize someone, direct your remarks at me. Constructive criticism is welcome, but personal attacks are unacceptable. I would like to express my gratitude to Vishy Anand for his invaluable contributions," he stated in an interview with Chessbase India.

Dvorkovich remarked, "Carlsen's comments following the jeans incident were excessive. He is aware of this, as am I. It is essential to treat everyone with respect. Carlsen himself admitted that some of his statements were inappropriate."

Regarding the jeans controversy, the FIDE President noted, "Magnus is aware that he violated the dress code, albeit not entirely intentionally. After the incident, we spoke with Magnus and his father, Henrik, and they recognized the breach of the dress code. The chief arbiter acted in accordance with the rules, and from FIDE's perspective, there was no infringement. However, the rules do allow for some discretion, and a different decision could have been made within that framework."

"Everyone is capable of making mistakes, including both FIDE and Magnus Carlsen," he concluded.

A video which went viral after the Blitz event also put match-fixing accusations on Carlsen. After he and Ian drew in the tie-breaker, Carlsen was recorded telling the Russian to play out draws if the FIDE didn't agree to their title-sharing demand.

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