The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, congratulated the participants of the 46th World Chess Olympiad, which is being held for the first time in Uzbekistan in Samarkand. This was reported by the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Addressing the athletes, coaches, and guests of the tournament, the head of state noted that grandmasters, coaches, and chess enthusiasts from over 200 countries are participating in the forum.
According to Mirziyoyev, chess has long traditions in Uzbekistan. He mentioned that Amir Timur was a skilled player, and Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Mirzo Ulugbek, Alisher Navoi, and Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur wrote about the role of chess in the spiritual development of people.
The President announced that more than two million people in the country are involved in chess, with the number of players rated above 6000. Among them, 32 Uzbek chess players hold the title of international grandmaster, and five leading players from the country are among the world's top 100. In FIDE rankings, the men's national team of Uzbekistan ranks eighth out of 204 countries, and the women's team ranks 20th.
The head of state recalled the victory of the national team at the 44th World Chess Olympiad in 2022 and its prize-winning performance at the 2024 Olympiad. He also highlighted the achievements of Grandmaster Javohir Sindarov, who won the title in the Candidates Tournament and the World Championship, as well as Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won silver at the Blitz World Championship.
Mirziyoyev emphasized that granting Uzbekistan the right to host the Olympiad is a sign of trust from the international sports community. He expressed confidence that the tournament will take place in an atmosphere of fair competition and mutual respect. Furthermore, he added that conditions have been created in Samarkand for holding the 3rd Chess Olympiad for people with disabilities and the 97th FIDE Congress.
The President expressed gratitude to the leadership and staff of the International Chess Federation, as well as partner organizations, for their support in preparing for the forum, and wished the participants good health and success to the teams.