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7-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Banned From World Championships Because She’s Israeli

JL;DR SUMMARY Seven-year-old Israeli chess prodigy, Liel Levitan, is barred from participating in the World Chess Championship in Tunisia due to the host nation's policy against Israelis, sparking an alternative championship initiative led by fellow Israeli Lior Aizenberg. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Arab CountriesDiscriminationTunisiaChessInternational SportsIsraeli AthletesLiel LevitanWorld Chess ChampionshipLior Aizenberg

Places mentioned

Israel
"A seven-year-old Israeli chess prodigy will not be able to participate in the World Chess Championship."
Tunisia
"the host country, Tunisia, will not allow Israelis to compete"
Poland
"by winning her category at the European School Chess Championship in Poland earlier this month"
United Arab Emirates
"cancelling two upcoming tournaments in Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates"
Saudi Arabia
"Israeli chess players were also banned from the King Salman World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Saudi Arabia"
Iran
"Top-ranking female chess players at that tournament and another one last month in Iran pulled out because they refused to wear mandatory headscarves."

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Cairo Item ID 73992
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2026-01-31 05:31:39 UTC
Curated 2026-01-31 08:31:53 UTC