Freestyle Chess Co-Owner's Offensive 'Rape' Comparison Escalates FIDE Accusations
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The inaugural leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour commenced in Weissenhaus, Germany, on Friday, featuring prominent players such as D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen in the initial rounds of the Chess960 tournament. However, this private event, co-owned by Jan Henric Buettner and Magnus Carlsen, has sparked considerable controversy, with FIDE alleging that it is causing a rift within the chess community.
In the first week of February, FIDE issued a statement refuting any official recognition of a Freestyle World Championship. In retaliation, Freestyle Chess published an open letter, disclosing communications with FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich and calling for his resignation. Freestyle Chess, particularly Carlsen, further accused FIDE of intimidating younger players by threatening them with exclusion from the ongoing cycle should they choose to participate in a Freestyle World Championship.
‘…. it’s like rape right?': Freestyle Chess co-owner
FIDE has refuted allegations of threatening players. In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky stated that the organization never exerted pressure on players, emphasizing that the primary concern was participation in an unofficial world championship. In response to these claims, Buettner chose to address the issue through the Take Take Take application, which is co-owned by Carlsen, providing further insight into the accusations.
He remarked, “What they are doing is that they are an organization, a company, or whatever they may be, but they function as an institution. Their legal director sends a legal document for teenagers to sign during a tournament, with a deadline coinciding with the tournament's conclusion. This leaves them with no opportunity to consult with one another, seek legal advice, or have any recourse. Furthermore, they assert that signing is not mandatory, but merely acknowledging the document's accuracy is sufficient. Legally, there is no distinction between the two,” he explained.
In a striking comparison, he likened the treatment of players to that of sexual assault, a statement that is quite shocking coming from a leader of a significant chess tournament. “If an organization, through its legal director, coerces a teenager into signing such a contract, it is inherently invalid. This is why I deem it an illegal document; if a player were to approach a court claiming they signed it under duress, it parallels the concept of rape. Therefore, it is not valid,” he stated.
“I believe it is unwise to resort to legal action, so I advised them not to sign it, as they cannot compel you to do so,” he concluded.
Qualifier Javokhir Sindarov currently tops the standings of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Weissenhaus with a total of 4.5 points, ahead of the rounds scheduled for Saturday. He is closely pursued by Fabiano Caruana, who also has 4.5 points, while Alireza Firouzja holds third place with 3.5 points. Nodirbek Abdusattor ranks fourth with 2.5 points, followed by Vincent Keymar and D Gukesh, both tied for fifth and sixth with 2 points each. Magnus Carlsen occupies the seventh position with 2 points, trailed by Hikaru Nakamura and Levon Aronian, who each have 1 point.
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