Levon Aronian won’t participate in Candidates Tournament in Azerbaijan

February 2, 2012 - 16:11 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On February 2, Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian issued a letter to President of FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and Presidential Council members.

“I learned from the media, that the Chess Federations of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria had submitted an application on holding World Championship Candidates Tournament.

I’d like to inform you that general atmosphere in Azerbaijan and continuous tensions between our countries make my participation in such high-ranked tournament in Azerbaijan impossible. A responsible and important event, such as the Candidates Tournament, requires peace of mind and special concentration. No circumstances, if they are not chess-related, should prevent the grandmaster from demonstrating all of his skills. Unfortunately, at this moment no Armenian can find favorable or adequate psychological atmosphere in Azerbaijan, whereas that is something absolutely necessary. In my opinion, all the participants should be in equal conditions, which is impossible in case of holding the tournament in Azerbaijan. Security guaranties and any kind of additional support cannot be a remedy.

Taking into account the above-mentioned considerations, I inform you that I would be delighted to take part in Candidates Tournament in any other country, but my participation in the tournament in Azerbaijan has to be excluded,” the letter says, according to chess-news.ru.

In 2011 the Candidates Tournament was moved to Kazan due to Armenian grandmaster’s refusal to perform in Azerbaijan

Chess Federations of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria have recently expressed readiness to organize the tournament.