Aronian sees no path back to Armenia team

PanARMENIAN.Net - Grandmaster Levon Aronian has described his decision to compete under the U.S. flag as one of the most difficult choices of his life and stated that he does not plan to return to Armenia’s national chess team. He made the remarks during the Liferoom program.

“It was one of the hardest decisions of my life. But this is how I saw the situation: the attitude toward chess in the country has cooled, and chess is no longer viewed as an area of national interest. If I had allowed myself to be treated like an ordinary athlete who had achieved nothing, I would have put the entire field at risk. If you treat me poorly, and if my opinion in this field means nothing to you, then we have nothing left to discuss,” the chess player said, according to Sputnik Armenia.

Asked about a possible return to the national team, Aronian said that he does not see such a possibility.

“This is already turning into ‘Santa Barbara.’ Everything I could prove to myself and my friends, I have already proven. I have always considered myself Armenian, and my goal has been to be useful to our people and to change perceptions of us as a weak nation. We are strong,” the grandmaster said.

Responding to a question about lucrative offers he received before moving to the United States, Aronian said he is proud that he did not accept them.

One of the leaders of Armenia’s national chess team and a three-time Chess Olympiad champion with the Armenian squad, Levon Aronian announced his decision to move to the United States in 2021. He explained the move by citing “incompetent state officials who had entered the chess sphere” and the termination of state support for chess players.