Callum Jones
A professional chess player has been left furious after she was fined for wearing 'strange shoes' to the World Championships.
The 2023 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championships began on 26 December, as Magnus Carlsen clinched his sixth world title in Uzbekistan, while Anastasia Bodnaruk came out on top on the women's side of the competition
However, according to pro chess player Anna-Maja Kazarian, she was stopped by an arbiter in regards to her shoes at the event on December 27.
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Kazarian, 23, claims that she was asked to change out of her Burberry trainers.
According to the chess player, she was subsequently fined by FIDE for 100 Euros ($161) for wearing the 'strange shoes', as well receiving as an official warning.
Posting a picture of a yellow card she'd received on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: "Update: I got fined. This is absolutely ridiculous.
@FIDE_chess please revert this warning. My shoes are NOT sports sneakers."
Going into the incident further on a recent YouTube video, Kazarian said: "I was approached by one of the arbiters and they told me that my shoes are strange shoes, they look like sports shoes.
"I barely ever wear them because they are fancy and they're not everyday type of shoes."
She also says that the arbiter had asked her to change shoes - but she did not have any alternatives with her.
Adding: "I also made the argument that these are not sports shoes."
Kazarian said in a video that her fine could be lifted in the future, but after travelling back to her hotel to change into a pair of heels, she also said that the experience had left her 'absolutely devastated' and 'embarrassed'.
"I hope FIDE is happy now. I’m absolutely devastated. The way that this was handled is not okay," she said.
She also addressed comments that were accusing her of blowing the situation out of proportion, writing: "Besides my entire tournament being ruined by FIDE, I slept very poorly and had no appetite all day. Just for some stupid shoes issue.
"This is not a joke and if you consider me bringing attention to this ‘milking’, you’re inhumane just like FIDE."
In regards to the situation, some were on her side - with YouTuber GothamChess calling the fine 'insanity'.
And former women’s chess world champion Susan Polgar wrote on X: "This (Burberry) shoes from a female player, were NOT allowed, and she said she was fined 100 euros."
She then went onto to claim that there were photos of male competitors 'wearing sneakers' who allegedly were not penalized, adding: "Why the double standards?"
UNILAD has reached out to FIDE for comment.