Bulgaria’s No. 1 female player, Nurgyul Salimova, made a statement following a warning from FIDE and ECU. Salimova states she will be forced to switch federations if restrictions are imposed on Bulgaria, and says that Bulgarian players do not deserve being restricted.

Nurgyul Salimova

Nurgyul Salimova

Bulgaria's No. 1 female player

“I wanted to play for Bulgaria and I still want to!

If our rights are suspended, I will have no other choice. I know some players are already negotiating with other federations. I’m not doing this right now, but it’s not difficult to initiate.

My message to the federations of our country is to resolve these disputes as soon as possible, because we are preparing for the Chess Olympiad and we want to participate. We do not deserve what is happening!”

In 2016, FIDE and the European Chess Union (ECU) expelled the original Bulgarian Chess Federation for financial misconduct and misallocation of funds. FIDE and ECU started a process to create the Bulgarian Sports Chess Federation (BSCF). Some Bulgarian sports officials and clubs disagreed and formed an alternative organization, the Bulgarian Chess Federation 2022 (BCF 2022).

BSCF is recognized by FIDE and ECU. BCF 2022 holds the official national license from the Bulgarian Ministry of Youth and Sports. Due to the legal uncertainty of holding the national license, the country cannot fully finance players, and it is difficult to prevent corruption and regulation violations.

FIDE and the ECU have warned that Bulgarian players may face restrictions from competing under their national flag, and international tournaments in the country will lose official status after July 1, 2026. If the federation split is resolved, Bulgarian players will not face restrictions.

Credit: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com