Grandmaster Koneru Humpy has pulled out of the FIDE Women's Candidates tournament in Cyprus, citing safety worries amid Middle East tensions. FIDE confirmed GM Anna Muzychuk as her replacement for the event starting March 29 in Paphos. The winner will challenge reigning champion Ju Wenjun.
On Sunday, Koneru Humpy announced her withdrawal from the FIDE Women's Candidates, a key qualifier to face Women's World Champion GM Ju Wenjun. The Indian grandmaster cited personal safety amid escalating regional tensions, including U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and a suspected Iranian drone attack on a UK base on Cyprus's southern coast in early March, which caused minor damage but no casualties. These incidents have disrupted travel in the Middle East and led to event cancellations there. Hikaru Nakamura reported a power outage on the island via social media, highlighting ongoing issues. Koneru stated on X: 'After deep reflection, I have taken the difficult decision to withdraw... No event, no matter how important, can come before personal safety and well-being. Despite the assurances provided, I do not feel fully secure under the current circumstances.' In an interview with Hindustan Times, she added: 'I just didn’t find the idea of playing under such conditions comfortable, despite all the assurances... Cyprus is a beautiful island and I’d love to play there when the situation improves.' She remains the only player to voice such public concerns. FIDE, after discussions with Koneru and a Sunday deadline, reiterated the tournament will proceed as planned while monitoring developments. Replacing her is GM Anna Muzychuk, the next qualifier from the Women’s Events Series 2024–25. The Ukrainian, a former Women's Rapid and Blitz champion, expressed surprise: 'I’m very surprised and thankful for getting this chance to fight for the title. It means a lot to me.' Muzychuk has fond memories of Cyprus, having won the Nicosia Women's Grand Prix there nearly a year ago, and has competed in the last three Candidates tournaments. This withdrawal recalls GM Teimour Radjabov's 2020 pullout from the FIDE Candidates due to COVID-19 fears.