MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Russian chess players Alexandra Goryachkina and Ian Nepomniachtchi are set to participate in the 2023 FIDE (World Chess Federation) World Rapid and Blitz Championships this month, the world’s governing chess federation’s press office announced in a statement on Wednesday.
The 2023 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship is set to be hosted by Uzbekistan’s second-largest city, Samarkand, on December 26-30.
"From December 26 to 30, this highly anticipated five-day event is poised to witness the world's premier chess players vie for the prestigious titles of World Champion in Rapid and Blitz across both Open and Women's categories," the statement reads.
"The prize fund totals one million US dollars, with $700,000 for the Open and $300,000 for the Women's tournaments," according to the FIDE’s statement.
"The event boasts an impressive lineup featuring illustrious names synonymous with chess brilliance," the world’s governing body of chess announced. "In the Open section, the lineup will be headlined by Magnus Carlsen. The former World Champion is defending both the Rapid and the Blitz crown he secured in Almaty in 2022."
"With a notable exception of world champion Ding Liren and Hikaru Nakamura, almost all of the strongest figures in the chess realm will be in Samarkand, including two-time World Championship match participant Ian Nepomniachtchi…," according to the statement.
The world governing body of chess continued that: "In the women's section, Tan Zhongyi will be there to defend her Rapid crown, while Bibisara Assaubayeva will try to merge the previous two successes - from 2022, when she won the Blitz event and 2021, when she took the Rapid title."
"Standing in their way, however, will be the four-time Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun and the 2023 World Cup winner and former world champion candidate Aleksandra Goryachkina," the statement reads.
Russian sport of chess under sanctions
On February 28, 2022 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments because of the special military operation in Ukraine.
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February last year, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.
On March 16, 2022 the FIDE barred athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international tournaments. The organization, however, allowed representatives of these countries to play individually under the flag and logo of FIDE.