Iranian chess grandmaster throws game against Israeli player

It took just one move for a Jewish chess player to win a match in Barcelona after his Iranian opponent refused to compete with an Israeli.

Attendees at the Sunway Chess Festival believe Grandmaster Amin Tabatabaei threw the game against fellow 21-year-old Netanel Levi over fears he’d be punished by Iranian officials on his return home.

The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects Israel’s right to exist and its athletes are banned from sporting competitions against Israelis.

President of the Berlin chess association, Paul Meyer-Dunker took to Twitter to insist the international chess federation take preventative action against Israeli boycotts.

“How long are you going to tolerate this? Will this hatred of our Israeli colleagues and the oppression of our Iranian colleagues ever have any consequences for the Chess Federation of Iran?”

Three years ago, Tabatabaei, on contract with FC Bayern Munich, was banned by Iranian officials from playing in two tournaments after he played against an Israeli opponent.

Iranian chess player Alireza Firouzja became a French citizen in 2021 after being penalised from competing against an Israeli in 2019.