Firouzja Turns Down French Olympiad Spot, Federation Warns Over Future
Fri, 10 Jul 2026
World number-nine Alireza Firouzja turned down a place on France's Olympiad squad for Samarkand, and the federation says his future selection will depend on resolving questions about his availability.
World number-nine Alireza Firouzja turned down a spot on France's Olympiad squad for the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, according to the French Chess Federation, which announced its Open and Women's teams this month without him.The federation has cautioned that Firouzja's future selection will depend on resolving broader questions about his availability and commitment to national-team events, without detailing the full circumstances of his decision.Firouzja, an Iranian-born grandmaster who switched federations to France in 2023, has been a fixture of the sport's elite since his teens, reaching the world's top ten by rating while still a teenager and remaining there since. His absence leaves a notable gap in a French squad that had hoped to contend for a Samarkand medal.Federation-switching and national-team availability have become recurring flashpoints in elite chess as players increasingly balance individual tour commitments, sponsorship obligations, and national duty, with Olympiad selection disputes surfacing in multiple federations in recent cycles.Firouzja has not publicly detailed his reasons for declining. It remains unclear whether the situation will be resolved before the Olympiad opens in September or whether it signals a longer-term rift between the player and the federation he adopted three years ago.