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Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev declines handshake with India’s Vaishali, apologises later: ‘I do not touch...’
In a recent chess tournament, Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev's refusal to shake hands with India's Vaishali due to religious beliefs ignited a social media uproar. While he later apologized, the incident raises questions about cultural norms and respect in the world of competitive sports.
Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev stirred up controversy at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament after he refused to shake hands with India's Grandmaster R Vaishali.
In a clip of the incident that went viral on social media, Vaishali can be seen extending her hand before the start of a fourth-round contest against Yakubboev, who sat down without responding, leaving the Indian visibly awkward.
Yakubboev, 23, who became a Grandmaster in 2019, lost the match and is currently on three points after eight rounds in the Challengers' section.
The viral video left Yakubboev the centre of attacks from netizens who claimed that the Uzbek player was “racist”.
However, in a lengthy X post, Nodirbek Yakubboev apologised, saying that he meant no disrespect and didn't respond to Vaishali's gesture because of “religious reasons”.
Vaishali did not offer her hand after beating the Uzbek player. The Indian is on four points after eight rounds with five more to go.
Watch the viral video here:
Netizens have also claimed that Yakubboev had shook hands with his female opponent in 2023 and was just discriminating against the Indian grandmaster.
Here's what Nodirbek Yakubboev said:
After the video went viral, Yakubboev said he had all the respect for Vaishali and her younger brother R Praggnanandhaa but he “does not touch other women due to religious reasons”.
“I want to explain the situation that happened in the game with Vaishali. With all due respect to women and Indian chess players, I want to inform everyone that I do not touch other women for religious reasons,” wrote Yakubboev, who is a practising Muslim.
“I respect Vaishali and her brother as the strongest chess players in India. If I have offended her with my behaviour, I apologise. I have some additional explanations: 1. Chess is not haram,” Yakubboev wrote.
“I do what I need to do. I do not insist others not to shake hands with the opposite gender or for women to wear hijab or burqa. It is their business what to do,” he explained.
Yakubboev said that in order to avoid such a situation in the eighth-round game against Romania's Irina Bulmaga, he informed her in advance about his religious beliefs.
“Today (Sunday), I told Irina Bulmaga about it. She agreed to it,” he added.
The Uzbek GM shared that after he came to the playing hall, the arbiters told him that he should at least do Namaste as a gesture. “In the games with Divya and Vaishali I couldn't tell them about it before the game and there was an awkward situation,” he said.
Another Uzbek player Nodirbek Abdusattorov is playing in the 'Open' section of the tournament.
(With PTI inputs)
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Business NewsSportsSports NewsUzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev declines handshake with India’s Vaishali, apologises later: ‘I do not touch...’
First Published:27 Jan 2025, 01:40 PM IST
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