Gregory's ServerChess Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk refuses to play in Saudi Arabia and says: "In a few days, I will lose two world titles, back to back." Because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. I refuse to play by special rules, to wear abaya, to be accompanied by a man so I can leave the hotel, so I don't feel like a second class person.
#saudiarabia #equalrights
Church of Jeff
166 comments
Dr. Mastodonocologist
@nobrainnopain @georgebaily @jeffowski 
Maddler the Badger
@jeffowski those matches shouldn't have been held in Saudi Arabia, plain and simple!
Johan Barelds 💯
@maddler @jeffowski Agree. The Saoudi's are sportswashing at a huge scale. Cycling, Tennis, Football, Chess. Even E-sports. You can use MyWhoosh for free in an attempt to lure the atlethes away from Zwift. 
JustAFrog
@jeffowski People willing to pay for their principles should be much more common than it is.
aburtch
@justafrog @jeffowski Muhammad Ali is the only other one I can think of who actually gave up his championship title for his morals. 
Aphrodite ☑️ :boost_ok:
People forget integrity can only be sold once. I walked away from a career because of ethically concerns that not only did I call out as the why behind my resignation when I was being fast tracked to run the agency, but my concerns were proven correct within six months. This was after the agency’s Legal confirmed a different ethical concern was valid and that procedures would need to be changed until technical fixes could be implemented.    
Stu Duerson
What got me is that the robot looked so pleased with himself! By the way, he says he needs a hydraulic refill.  
Pat Riot
@Gosunkugi @jeffowski I don't see how making fun of someone's traditional attire is racist.
Pat Riot
@Gosunkugi @jeffowski I suppose that if I wore my traditional Irish Dress, no pun intended, no one would make fun of me eh? 
Hugs4friends ♾
@jeffowski I know it's old news, but one has to wonder if some MCPs were pissed that the Grand Master was a 'girl', and knew she wouldn't go to Saudi Arabia.
Patrick $8 :verified:
@Tooden @jeffowski the events she was to participate in were exclusively for women, so it was not anyone’s hurt feelings. Take a look at the Wikipedia page for the world blitz championships. The last ten years they were held almost exclusively in countries I personally would refuse to visit
Patrick $8 :verified:
  
Advanced Persistent Teapot
@jeffowski did any male chess grandmasters also boycott in support of their female colleagues? (I'll bet that's a no) 
Inc Hulk
@jeffowski: 
Joe
@jeffowski Please edit the post to clarify that this happened in 2017 and is not "in a few days". Thanks. 
[ツ] vivere semplice
@jeffowski
BewarePizza
@kalfatermann @jeffowski What are you both on about? First of all, there is absolutely no requirement for a woman traveling to Saudi to wear any specific clothing, to have a male companion, or to cover any part of her body that isn't to do with modesty. That's complete bullshit. Both my sister and wife have been, ALONE, to Saudi. Second, if that requirement to enter Germany is applied to all countries, not just Saudi, I'd delightly oblige if there's no limit on the Hefeweizen.
BewarePizza
@kalfatermann @jeffowski and before either of you go: "COVERING HER FACE IS MODESTY????", I mean general modesty. Women dress moderately modestly in Saudi. No short shorts, no tank tops. That's practically all of it. We've visited countries in Asia and have been asked to respect their cultures. It's the same.
[ツ] vivere semplice
People generally speak of sarcasm and if you are open-minded, then you also understand this type of humor. Also nix für ungut und locker bleiben ☘️
BewarePizza
@kalfatermann @bewarepizza @jeffowski This type of sarcasm doesn't translate well on a screen, my apologies. Now allow me a moment to use Google Translate. 
Zappes
@kalfatermann @jeffowski @koehntopp Weißwurst mit Radi? Hast Du noch alle Tassen im Schrank???
[ツ] vivere semplice
@zappes Übrigens: Der Fachbegriff lautet Sarkasmus!  
sandywb14
@jeffowski Seems appropriate that a young woman would take a stand on this when the rich professional athletes continue to visit SA. I’m very impressed by her integrity.
Gary McGraw
@jeffowski good for her. Troglodyte societies should not be allowed to host world events.
Army Girl
@jeffowski good for her! I remember when they tried that shit on women service members during the first Gulf War. Uhhh...you want us to stop Hussein? Our rules.
Still Wakes Up Angry
@jeffowski  
Virginia Holloway
@jeffowski why post something that’s 7 years old without noting that? Genuinely curious.
Hermey G
Saudi Arabia seems to be set on gobbling up as many sporting events as possible which begs the question, when will Mohammad bin Salmon finally host his International Journalist Dismemberment Competition?
David Koff (he/him)
@jeffowski Good! Next up: reminding all #progressives that the MOST open and tolerant nation in the Middle East is…
Lotus
@thetechtutor Maybe not sexism but there would be a laundry list of other concerns related to the Palestine business.
David Koff (he/him)
@LotusHopper There are mos def policies I disagree with too in this matter. But let’s not move the goal posts: this is a conversation about #democracy #Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. It’s the most open, tolerant, accepting, and free. It’s the #1 place to live if you’re a woman who values freedoms and agency. Ditto for the #lgbtq community. If you have different facts, please share.
Sebastian Elisa
@thetechtutor @LotusHopper You're not wrong - but the bar is really, really low :/. The comparison between the VAE and Israel in that matter Israel wins by a landslide still.
David Koff (he/him)
@deadda7a @LotusHopper Compare #Israel when it comes to #Democracy in ANY #middleeast country and the story is the same. Most of the #democratic #freedoms that you currently have in your life, only exist in #israel in that region of the world.
Sebastian Elisa
@thetechtutor ... that is what I said? Compared to the others in the region even a flawed democracy wins 
Nyx
@jeffowski But this was more than 5 years ago, in 2017, wasn't it ? I think it's worth mentioning in the post. @AlainPortay
Baldur12c
@jeffowski while this was an absolute "Boss move", it already happened several years ago. (In 2017 or 2018 I think.) 
Iwillyeah
@jeffowski Image description: a young woman with shoulder length, curly brown hair looks directly to camera. She is seated at a chessboard. The camera perspective is as if we are playing a game of chess with her. Her expression is neutral, and but confident.
Nilsk
@jeffowski To post it again today without any time reference is active despicable misinformation. The problems she takes up may still be valid, but up to date sources would be needed to confirm that.
Adrian
@jeffowski This is old news. What's currently concerning me is why the fuck there are separate #chess championships for men and women?!
Stephen Chadfield ✝️
@adrianfry @jeffowski There isn't. In the chess world there are open championships where anyone can play and women only competitions to encourage women to participate in the sport. 
Sylvain MAILLER
@adrianfry 
El Pamplina 🇺🇦 :cadiz:
@s_mailler @adrianfry @jeffowski I believe that women are allowed to participate in chess tournaments, but many of them prefer women-only tournaments because they feel uncomfortable or pressured playing with men. It's something that shouldn't happen.
Böser anonymer Account 🇺🇦
She may lose two world titles but she definitly wins the grand game called life. 
Collectifission
@jeffowski "Muzychuk drew widespread media attention at the end of 2017 for boycotting the World Rapid and Blitz Championships over FIDE's decision to hold the events in Saudi Arabia because of the country's discriminatory policies against women." It's funny how a meme can go around the internet for years and years. She has been losing her title "in a few days" since 2017. 
LovesTha🥧
@jeffowski when #mtg scheduled a Pro Tour event in Malaysia no one throught about it, then when a surprise Israeli won Worlds it was awkward that they couldn't attend the next Pro Tour. (Some Muslim nations don't recognise Israel, and it's hard to get a visa without a passport) It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Saudi Arabia is hostile to women, which makes it an unacceptable place to host international events. When they decide to grow up they can host things again.
Gondor
@jeffowski Knowing "the situation" hasn't changed a bit:
Jérémy Pagès
@jeffowski This happened several years ago. Next month, Anna Muzychuk will play the Women's Candidates Tournament in Toronto.
Gelat de tramussos :estelada:
@jeffowski Aquelles coses que passen quan fas un torneig esportiu en un país ancorat a l'Edat Mitjana.
B59R
@jeffowski@mastodon.world Well done! She will get the title 'world chess champion of hearts' instead! I'll vote for her! ♥️ 
Runyan50
@jeffowski @theogrin KSA has no excuse for forcing non-believers to wear their garb. Their intolerance is laid bare. International organizations should never schedule events there. 
Jennifer Kayla | Theogrin 🦊
This article was back in 2017, but the statement holds true. Simply put, the only reason anyone even touches Saudi Arabia or the UAE as a whole anymore is money. Whether it be FIDE, the PGA, WWE, or other such groups, the moral bankruptcy is readily on display, with fiduciary solvency read as their chief -- and frequently sole -- excuse.
Sudelsurium
@jeffowski Das ist eine Nachricht von 2017. Just sayin‘ @mimikama dazu: https://www.mimikama.org/anna-muzychuk-faktencheck-schachgrossmeisterin/
Antoine Pintout
This announcement from Anna Muzychuk is from December 2017. That's absolutely not an obligation to do so anymore. Since a few years, women are free to wear anything they want and are not obligated to be accompanied. https://holliesmckay.substack.com/p/what-it-is-really-like-as-a-woman https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/do/culture/saudi-culture-and-customs
Freiheit und Rettich FCKNZS
@jeffowski
François Mandil
@jeffowski @Gallorum marrant comme cette histoire qui date de 2017 revient régulièrement. J'ai comme l'impression que si elle n'était pas aussi jolie sur cette photo, l'histoire, tout à son honneur, reviendrait moins souvent. 
Carolyn
@jeffowski Competitions should not be held in countries that force women to debase themselves to participate.
Ed Hurtley
@jeffowski This is very old (2017,) she has been to Saudi Arabia since she made that statement. She didn't lose a world title over this - she had already lost before the Saudi tournaments. 
robert daniel pickard
@jeffowski Good for Anna Lin Codega at Rascal has an article all about SA trying to buy into table top and other gaming the way they bought pro sports. I think non-sports gaming is pushing back more, which is great to see
Bonita Mascota
@jeffowski Would a Russian chess player with the same approach have received the same amount of attention and sympathy?
yianiris
Why would she refuse to visit the most totalitarian regime in the world treating women as accessory and property of men? What kind of women in the world #chess #saudiarabia makes #Iran look like San Francisco ...ohhh you mean it was ALL MEN that decided all this ... but she is in focus ... for depriving men of their titles? |
@jeffowski Looking at you - all the other chess players still going to Saudi Arabia