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Iranian-American Chess Master Urges Iran's Players to Quit National
Federation

Michael Lipin

   An Iranian-American chess grandmaster is urging fellow players in his
   native Iran to consider competing under the neutral flag of the game's
   global governing body if it suspends their national chess federation
   next month for pressuring them to boycott Israelis.

   In a November 13 interview with VOA Persian, North Carolina-based
   Elshan Moradi said the most important priority for aspiring chess
   masters in Iran should be finding a way to continue involvement in
   international competition independently of the Iran Chess Federation.

   The International Chess Federation, known as FIDE, is set to consider a
   resolution at a December 6 meeting to suspend the Iranian federation
   unless it publicly approves of Iranian players facing competitors from
   Israel, Tehran's regional foe.

   British grandmaster and FIDE vice president Nigel Short told VOA last
   week that he tabled the resolution in response to what he said was a
   pattern of Iranian officials pressuring their chess players to boycott
   Israelis in recent years in violation of FIDE rules.

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