'I do not touch other women..': Religious beliefs cited as Uzbek GM refuses handshake with Indian GM Vaishali

Photo: Screengrab/X/Getty Images

Controversy erupted after Uzbekistani Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev refused to shake hands with Indian GM R Vaishali before their fourth-round match at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament on Monday. He later apologised, clarifying that his actions were guided by 'religious reasons' and that he had no intention of disrespecting his opponent.

In a video shared by ChessBase India, Vaishali is seen extending her hand at the start of the match. However, Yakubboev sat down without reciprocating the gesture, leaving Vaishali visibly uncomfortable. Yakubboev, 23, who achieved his Grandmaster title in 2019, went on to lose the match. He currently holds three points after eight rounds in the Challengers' section.

The short clip quickly gained traction online, prompting Yakubboev to issue a detailed statement on the platform 'X.' He expressed his respect for Vaishali and her younger brother, R Praggnanandhaa, while explaining his stance.

"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," Yakubboev wrote.

Following the incident, Vaishali refrained from offering a handshake after defeating the Uzbek player. She is currently on four points after eight rounds, with five games remaining.

Yakubboev emphasised his respect for his Indian counterparts and apologised if his actions caused any offense. "I respect Vaishali and her brother as the strongest chess players in India. If I have offended her with my behavior, I apologize," his post read.

In his statement, Yakubboev provided further clarification, saying, "Chess is not haram. What I did before (referring to the game with Divya in 2023 and cases like that) I consider it wrong for me. 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."

To prevent a recurrence of such misunderstandings, Yakubboev took proactive measures in his eighth-round game against Romania's Irina Bulmaga. He informed her beforehand about his religious beliefs, which she acknowledged. However, tournament arbiters advised him to at least greet his opponent with a 'Namaste' as an alternative.

"Today I told Irina Bulmaga about it. She agreed to it. But when I came to the playing hall, the arbiters told me that I 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 explained.