“I Don’t Touch Other Women”: Uzbek GM Refuses Handshake With India’s Vaishali, Triggers Row

Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev’s refusal to shake fingers with Indian GM R Vaishali stirred up an argument on the Tata Steel Chess Tournament earlier than the Uzbek apologised, saying that he meant no disrespect and did not reply to the gesture due to “religious reasons”. In a video shared by ChessBase India on social media, Vaishali will be seen extending her hand earlier than the beginning of a fourth-round contest towards Yakubboev, who sat down with out responding to it, leaving the Indian visibly awkward.

Yakubboev, 23, who grew to become a GM in 2019, misplaced the match and is at the moment on three factors after eight rounds within the Challengers’ part.

Once the brief video went viral, Yakubboev posted a prolonged response on ‘X’ saying, he had all of the respect for Vaishali and her youthful brother R. Praggnanandhaa however he “does not touch other women due to religious reasons.”

“I want to explain the situation that happened in the game with Vaishali. With all due respect to women and Indian chess players, I want to inform everyone that I do not touch other women for religious reasons,” wrote Yakubboev, who’s a practising Muslim.

3) 2. What I did earlier than (referring to the sport with Divya in 2023 and circumstances like that) I contemplate it flawed for me.

3. I do what I must do. I don’t insist others to not shake fingers with the other gender or for ladies to put on hijab or burqa. It is their enterprise what to do.

— Nodirbek Yakubboev (@NodirbekYakubb1) January 26, 2025

Vaishali didn’t supply her hand after beating the Uzbek participant. The Indian is on 4 factors after eight rounds with 5 extra to go.

“I respect Vaishali and her brother as the strongest chess players in India. If I have offended her with my behavior, I apologise. I have some additional explanations: 1. Chess is not haram,” Yakubboev wrote.

“I do what I need to do. I do not insist others not to shake hands with the opposite gender or for women to wear hijab or burqa. It is their business what to do,” he defined.

A famend Uzbek chess Grandmaster, Nodirbek, refused to shake fingers with India’s Women’s Grandmaster Vaishali.

Does faith affect sports activities? However, he was seen shaking fingers with different feminine gamers earlier. pic.twitter.com/fGR61wvwUP

— Ayushh (@ayushh_it_is) January 27, 2025

Yakubboev stated that with the intention to keep away from such a state of affairs within the eighth-round recreation towards Romania’s Irina Bulmaga, he knowledgeable her upfront about his non secular beliefs.

“Today (Sunday) I told Irina Bulmaga about it. She agreed to it. But when I came to the playing hall, the arbiters told me that I should at least do Namaste as a gesture. In the games with Divya and Vaishali I couldn’t tell them about it before the game and there was an awkward situation,” he added.

Another Uzbek participant Nodirbek Abdusattorov is enjoying within the ‘Open’ part of the event.