World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen quit the World Rapid Chess Championship after refusing to change out of jeans, violating the dress code set by the International Chess Federation. Despite being issued a fine and a warning to change, Carlsen declined and was not paired for a round. He explained that he didn’t have time to change due to a lunch meeting. Carlsen accused FIDE of pressuring players not to sign with Freestyle, leading to his withdrawal from the World Blitz Championship. FIDE’s CEO Emil Sutovsky denied these claims, stating that FIDE must approve any tournament calling itself a World Championship. Carlsen’s refusal to comply with the dress code and subsequent withdrawal from the tournaments highlighted tensions between top players and FIDE regarding regulations and tournament participation.
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Five-time World Chess champion withdraws from competition after declining to switch out of denim
