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Updated 14:50 IST, January 27th 2025

'Uncivilized Player': Netizens Slam Nodirbek Yakubboev For Declining Hand-Shake With Vaishali Due To Religious Reasons

Uzbekistan's Grand Master sparked a controversy after declining a handshake offer from Rameshbabu Vaishali

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Nodirbek Yakubboev Refuses To Shake Hands With Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali
Nodirbek Yakubboev Refuses To Shake Hands With Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali | Image: X/@chess_strategy

The 23-year-old Uzbekistani Grand Master Nodirbek Yakubboev has grabbed eyeballs for all the wrong reasons. Yakubboev turned down Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Vaishali's handshake during the the Challengers section of the 2025 Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. Indian Grandmaster Vaishali later went on to defeat Yakubboev in round four of the competition.

In a video shared by ChessBase India on social media, Vaishali can be seen extending her hand before the start of a fourth-round contest against Yakubboev, who sat down without responding to it, leaving the Indian visibly awkward.

Netizens Bash Nodirbek Yakubboev

Yakubboev, 23, who became a GM in 2019, lost the match and is currently on three points after eight rounds in the Challengers' section.

Once the short video went viral, Yakubboev posted a lengthy response on 'X' saying, he had all the respect for Vaishali and her younger brother R. Praggnanandhaa but 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 is a practising Muslim.

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Here's How Twitterati Reacted To Yakubboev Turning Down Vaishali's Handshake

ALSO READ | Nodirbek Yakubboev Refuses To Shake Hands With Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali, Issues Explanation Citing Religious Reasons

Yakubboev Issues Explanation For Turning Down Vaishali's Handshake

Yakubboev said that in order to avoid such a situation in the eighth-round game against Romania's Irina Bulmaga, he informed her in advance about his religious 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 player Nodirbek Abdusattorov is playing in the 'Open' section of the tournament.

(With PTI Inputs)

Published 14:50 IST, January 27th 2025