 "FIDE refutes media report, says no agreement reached regarding the Freestyle Tour")
Amid reports that the World Chess Federation, FIDE, and Magnus Carlsen’s Freestyle Chess Operations are close to settling their dispute and reaching an agreement over the upcoming Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour, the international chess body stated on Monday that no agreement has been reached regarding the use of the term ‘World Championship.’
In a short statement released on X, FIDE said that both parties have failed to reach any agreement so far due to Freestyle Chess Operations’ refusal to acknowledge FIDE’s “authority to award” a World Championship title.
FIDE: ‘No agreement regarding the Freestyle Tour’
A detailed statement on the matter will be released at 9 PM CET (11.30 PM IST) on Monday (3 February).
“FIDE and Freestyle Chess Tour: No agreement on World Championship recognition,” FIDE said on X.
“Despite intensive negotiations, the FIDE Council states that there is currently no agreement regarding the Freestyle Tour. This is due to the other party’s refusal to acknowledge FIDE’s status as the sole regulator of World Chess Championships and its authority to award a World Championship title. A full FIDE statement on this matter will be published after 19:00 CET today.”
FIDE vs Freestyle Chess intensifies
The Freestyle Chess Operations is co-owned by world No.1 chess player Magnus Carlsen and German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner. FIDE and Freestyle Chess have been at loggerheads with the organisers over plans to label the winner of the Grand Slam tour as a ‘world champion’.
FIDE had also accused Carlsen and Freestyle Chess of creating divisions in the chess world and also threatened legal action if the Grand Slam is projected as a World Championship. Carlsen, on the other hand, has accused FIDE of threatening players against joining the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour .
However, a newspaper recently reported that Beuttner and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich were in constant contact, moving closer to an ‘amicable agreement.’ It now appears that those attempts have failed.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
