Magnus Carlsen returns to Blitz worlds after FIDE allows jeans

Magnus Carlsen returns to World Blitz Chess Championship after FIDE allows players to compete in jeans.

World number one Magnus Carlsen will return to the World Blitz Chess Championship here following FIDE’s decision to allow players to compete in jeans, a couple of days after disqualifying him from the Rapid event for refusing to change into formal trousers.

The five-time world champion was fined $200 for wearing jeans, which was “explicitly prohibited” under the original tournament regulations. The Norwegian was also disqualified from after he refused to change his attire by chief arbiter Alex Holowczak ahead of the ninth round.

Announcing the change in policy, FIDE boss Arkady Dvorkovich said “I took the decision to trial an approach to provide more flexibility to FIDE officials in judgements regarding the suitability of the attire.

“The principle is simple: it is still required to follow the official dress-code, but elegant minor deviations (that may, in particular, include appropriate jeans matching the jacket) are allowed,” Dvorkovich said in a statement on X.

After disqualification in the Rapid event, Carlsen had opted out of the Blitz section, but he will now return to defend his title.

“FIDE is pleased to confirm that Magnus Carlsen will participate in the FIDE World Blitz Championship,” the statement read.

Carlsen had met FIDE vice president and Indian great Viswanathan Anand on the sidelines of the tournament on Sunday (December 30, 2024).