India, March 18 -- Vaishali Rameshbabu recently sparked controversy by suggesting the elimination of women-specific titles in chess, aligning herself with the views previously expressed by chess legend Judit Polgar. Polgar, recognized as one of the greatest chess grandmasters in history, opted out of women-only competitions during her career due to insufficient competition.

Vaishali argued that titles such as Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and Woman International Master (WIM) should be entirely abolished, believing this change could motivate more women to strive for Grandmaster (GM) titles directly.

In a YouTube discussion, FIDE CEO and fellow Grandmaster expressed his disagreement with the perspectives of Vaishali and Polgar. He highlighted a decline in the Elo ratings of the top female players over the years, suggesting that women-only events are essential for fostering competition and improvement.

"Despite increased efforts and prize money, we have observed a significant gap for approximately 15 years. In the past, we had top female players reaching ratings of 2500 at ages 15, 16, and 17; today, there are only a few players above 2400 at ages 17 or 18," he stated.

"If we were to eliminate all opportunities for women to compete in women-only events and withdraw support for travel, we would be depriving many talented individuals of opportunities under the misguided notion that women can perform better in open tournaments than in women-only competitions."

He emphasized that while there should be no restrictions, every female player should have the opportunity to excel in both women-only and open events, allowing them to compete alongside the best.

Sutovsky also expressed that decisions made by FIDE should be grounded in factual data rather than personal opinions, indirectly critiquing Vaishali and Polgar.

"It is crucial to base decisions on real data rather than hype or opinions that stem from personal beliefs or aspirations. This approach is not sustainable," he remarked.

Vaishali achieved her Grandmaster title in 2024, with a peak rating of 2500.

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