An earthquake in the small world of chess. For several weeks, this environment has been crossed by multiple revelations of gender-based and sexual violence, but also decisions excluding transgender players from international competitions.
Indeed, on August 3, 14 French players, soon followed by dozens of others, broke their silence and denounced in an open letter “sexist or sexual violence […] verbal, written or physical, perpetrated by chess players, trainers, arbiters or managers”. “We have been silent for too long. »
However, according to these women, “this harassment and these attacks are still today one of the main reasons for the cessation of the game of chess by women and young girls, especially in adolescence”. “It’s a world of men”, abounds Mathilde Congiu, former player and signatory. “There are 90% of men and the players feel in total impunity, especially the most successful”.
“I don’t want to talk because I’m scared”
“I experienced things that I don’t want to talk about because I’m scared and it moves me,” she explains to AFP on the sidelines of the 96th French chess championship, which ends. Sunday in Alpe d’Huez (Isère). Added to this is a “package of sexist stories”, ranging from hands to buttocks to condescending comments from certain coaches, relates the young woman.
The open letter of the French women “woke us up”, admits for his part the vice-president of the French Chess Federation (FFE), Jean-Baptiste Mullon, who immediately gave his support to the signatories.
The seismic aftershock
But the world of chess was turned upside down again in mid-August when the International Federation (Fide) announced that transgender players would be suspended from the female categories until a “decision” was made about them, agreeing a period of two years.
For many players met by AFP in Alpe d’Huez, this provision, which now applies to international competitions such as the Olympics, is “incomprehensible”. “Chess is not a sport where you are supposed to have any biological advantage for people born male,” argues Séraphina Bosc, 20, who initiated her transition to a woman a year and a half ago.
Several national federations including those of the United States, Germany and England quickly made it known that they opposed it. The FFE has also decided not to apply it in France, explains Jean-Baptiste Mullon who criticizes a “poorly written” text and betraying a “misunderstanding of the subject”.