Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top chess player, has withdrawn from the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships due to a disagreement over the dress code, as announced by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

FIDE clarified in a statement released on Friday that its rules prohibit participants from wearing jeans during the competition.

The organization reported that the Chief Arbiter advised Carlsen of the dress code violation, assessed a $200 fine, and requested that he change into appropriate attire. Despite this, Carlsen chose not to comply, resulting in him not being assigned a match for round nine. FIDE emphasized that this enforcement was applied consistently to all participants.

In a video shared on his Take Take Take chess app, Carlsen, 34, confirmed the imposition of the fine but expressed his refusal to change his jeans before exiting the tournament held in New York. He stated, “I said, ‘I’ll change tomorrow if that’s OK,’ but they insisted I had to change immediately. At that moment, it became somewhat of a matter of principle for me.”

FIDE reiterated that the dress code aims to uphold a standard of professionalism and fairness among competitors.

The federation also mentioned that another player, Ian Nepomniachtchi, had received a fine on the same day for not adhering to the dress code by wearing sports shoes. However, Nepomniachtchi accepted the penalty, changed into the approved attire, and resumed competing in the tournament.

FIDE underscored that these rules have been established for several years and are clearly communicated to participants prior to each event, reinforcing their commitment to uniformity in regulations.