KUALA LUMPUR – The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has defended its decision to bar an Israeli chess player from competing in the upcoming World Amateur Chess Championship, insisting that holding a foreign passport does not exempt an individual from the country’s policies.
A source familiar with the matter told Scoop that the authorities had completed the necessary checks on the player’s identity and previous records before determining that he would not be permitted to participate in the tournament.
“The decision is consistent with the government’s existing policy and is not influenced by the passport presented by the individual. The relevant requirements apply regardless of the nationality or travel document used,” the source said.
The source stressed that Malaysia would not change its position in response to criticism or external pressure.
“They can criticise Malaysia as much as they want, but we cannot simply change our rules because of external pressure. Our policies must be respected, and the relevant authorities have a responsibility to ensure that they are implemented consistently,” the source said.
The remarks follow a report by The Times of Israel that Israeli chess players had been excluded from the list of participants for the championship, scheduled to take place from November 4 to 13.
One of the players, Lior Aizenberg, who runs the Chess4All club in Israel, claimed he had been excluded despite registering for the competition using a foreign passport.
According to the report, Aizenberg alleged that a tournament organiser had initially told him that Israeli players could not participate because of Malaysia’s immigration restrictions.
The report also said the Israeli Chess Federation had indicated that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) would make every effort to help Israeli players obtain visas to compete in the championship.
Aizenberg subsequently called for the tournament to be moved to another country if Israeli players were not allowed to participate.
However, the source maintained that hosting an international competition did not mean every individual who registered would automatically be allowed to compete.
“The fact that the championship is going ahead does not automatically mean that every individual who registers will be permitted to participate.
“The eligibility of each participant is a separate matter that must be dealt with in accordance with the relevant requirements,” the source said.
The source added that Malaysia respected the right of others to express their views but expected the country’s position and decisions to be respected as well.
Malaysia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and has longstanding restrictions on the entry of Israeli nationals.
The dispute also raises questions about FIDE’s hosting requirements and its position on access for players from all member federations.
In 2019, Malaysia lost the hosting rights for the World Para Swimming Championships after the International Paralympic Committee said it had not received guarantees that Israeli athletes would be allowed to participate.
The competition was subsequently relocated to London.
The World Amateur Chess Championship is scheduled to take place in Klang from November 4 to 13. – October 21, 2026
