Stranded For Hours: Gukesh, Indian Chess Olympiad Contingent Hit By Accommodation Nightmare in Uzbekistan

Hours after landing in Samarkand, several members of the Indian Chess Olympiad team have been left without rooms for hours. Grandmaster and non-playing captain Srinath Narayanan took to social media to share the ordeal of the Indian players in the Uzbekistan city.

Members of the Indian chess team and support staff are reportedly waiting outside the airport as rooms haven't been allotted for them ahead of the Chess Olympiad. Srinath posted on X, "Having a terrible experience at the 
@FIDE_chess 2026 Olympiad. The team landed 5 hours ago at Samarkand airport. The team still haven’t been allotted rooms, with absolutely no clarity on when it’ll be allotted."

Vidit Gujrathi, who also happens to be a member of the team, supported Srinath's concern and posted, “Very poor first impressions of the Samarkand, Uzbekistan Olympiad 2026. Still waiting….”

India are the defending champion in both the open and women’s categories and are favourites to defend the title.
 

(With ANI Inputs)