Indian GM Koneru Humpy questioned FIDE's decision to hold the Women's Candidates 2026 in Cyprus, citing safety concerns due to the ongoing Gulf conflict. She asked if FIDE would conduct tournaments in Jammu and Kashmir, which is under a similar travel advisory.
FIDE has refused to change the venue, with CEO Emil Sutovsky stating that Cyprus is not directly involved in the conflict. However, Humpy argued that decisions should consider players' feelings and not just logistics.
She pointed out that Cyprus is under a Level 3 Travel Advisory, and recent events, including a drone attack on a British airbase, raise concerns about player safety.
FIDE has announced Anna Muzychuk as Humpy's replacement in the tournament, which will also feature R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, and other top GMs.
