‘F*** you’: Chess scandal as Magnus Carlsen expelled for illegal jeans

After a disappointing first day at the Rapid Chess World Championship, where results fell short of expectations, the second day in New York plunged the sport into controversy. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) decided to penalise Magnus Carlsen, five-time champion and current titleholder, by not pairing him from the event for violating the dress code—he wore jeans during his games on Friday.

Carlsen, who had begun recovering from his lacklustre start by amassing 5 points in 8 games, openly shared his frustration. “I told them I would change my pants tomorrow, but they insisted it had to be now, before the ninth game... I’m too old to worry about this kind of thing. If this is how they want to play it, I’ll go somewhere with better weather,” he said.

The Norwegian star also announced he would not participate in the World Blitz Championships, which begin on Sunday. He lashed out at FIDE, expressing his discontent. “I’m tired of FIDE. I don’t want anything to do with them anymore. I’m sorry to my fans at home—it may seem like a silly principle, but this isn’t fun for me,” Carlsen remarked.

‘They can enforce their rules. That’s fine by me. F*** you’

Detailing the situation further, he said: “I had a really good sleep, and I had a nice lunch meeting before I came here. I just barely had time to go to the room, change, so I put on a shirt, a jacket. And honestly, I didn’t even think about the jeans.

“I even changed my shoes, but I didn’t even think about it. And so I got here, and I don’t know if it was after the first game or second game. I think it was after… Yeah, I don’t remember.

“But I got a warning that I needed to change my… Well, first of all, I got a fine. And then I got a warning that I would not be paired if I didn’t go change my jeans immediately. They said that I could do it after the third round today. I said, like, I’ll change tomorrow if that’s okay. I didn’t even realise it today. But they said, well, you have to change now.

“And well, at that point it became a bit of a matter of principle for me.”

FIDE Responds

FIDE defended its actions, issuing a statement explaining the rationale behind the decision. “The dress code is designed to maintain professionalism and fairness for all participants. Mr. Magnus Carlsen violated this code by wearing jeans, which are explicitly prohibited under the event’s regulations. The head arbiter informed him of the violation and requested that he change. When he refused, he was not paired for the ninth round. This decision was impartial and applies equally to all players,” the statement read.

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky clarified that Carlsen had not been expelled but was unpaired for the ninth round, leaving the option to rejoin the tournament. Carlsen, however, declined. “We’ve always welcomed Magnus and his family warmly, and we didn’t want this to escalate,” Sutovsky said. “Still, I fully support the head referee’s decision.”

Carlsen wasn’t the only player affected by the dress code enforcement. Two-time world runner-up Ian Nepomniachtchi was also fined on Friday but took the situation in stride. “I hope the $200 fine goes to the Chess Fashion Research Foundation,” the Russian joked.

The incident has sparked debate within the chess community, with many viewing it as an unnecessary clash between tradition and the evolving social realities of the sport.

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