Ilya Smirin: Chess commentator sacked for sexist comments during match

A chess commentator has been sacked by the International Chess Federation for making sexist comments.

Ilya Smirin was broadcasting live during the ninth round of the Women's Grand Prix on Tuesday.

The Israeli grandmaster admitted on air he had said chess is "maybe not for women" - and also seemingly praised a woman for playing like a man.

He later told the BBC he did not want to hurt anyone and he loves and respects both chess and women.

Belarusian-born Mr Smirin - who was once ranked one of the world's top 20 players - was making his debut as an English-language commentator in Astana, Kazakhstan.

He was initially speaking about one of the competitors, Chinese chess player Zhu Jiner. She is a woman grandmaster, which is a separate, lower title to that of grandmaster.

All chess players - men and women - can become grandmasters, which is the highest title a chess player can attain, if they have a rating of 2,500 and above. The very top female chess players have this title.

The woman grandmaster title is only for women and requires a lower rating of 2,300.

The commentators were discussing whether Zhu Jiner could become grandmaster, when Mr Smirin said: "She's a woman grandmaster or what?... Why she wants to be like men grandmaster in this case?"

Mr Smirin went on to appear to admit that he had privately said "chess is maybe not for women".

Fellow commentator Fiona Steil-Antoni said to him: "You're saying, you know, 'chess is maybe not for women'," and Mr Smirin replied: "I didn't say it openly... in private, private conversation."

And he also seemed to admit saying another female player - Grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkin - had been "playing like a man".

"That's true," said Mr Smirin, when questioned about his apparent comments. "She played in Russia super final. Small minus she made, but it was very strong tournament. She also had like 2,600 plus rating."

Challenging him again, Ms Steil-Antoni asked: "What does that have to do with playing like a man, only men can play well?"

"No, no," Mr Smirin responded. "But she's playing in style, positional style... But OK, I'm always curious, why can women play among men but men cannot play with women in women tournaments? Interesting question."

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Mr Smirin's comments were picked up by several female chess players, including former female world champion Susan Polgar who called for a public apology and for him to be sacked over the "highly insulting" comments.

"For the record, I have known GM Smirin for more than three decades, including our college days in Minsk," she added.

"I always had a good relationship with him and respected his chess. I hope that this is just a bad day. I would be highly sad and disappointed if this is how he truly feels."

Meanwhile, Woman Grandmaster Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova tweeted: "Isn't it a pure form of discrimination? How can such a man work in the official @FIDE_chess broadcast of such an important women's event?"

US women's chess champion Jennifer Shahade added: "Gross to see such sexism in the broadcast for a women's event... Fiona did a great job in an uncomfortable convo she never should have been in."

In its statement, FIDE - the International Chess Federation - apologised "unreservedly" and called the comments "very embarrassing".

"Although we have great respect for Grandmaster Ilya Smirin as a chess player, the views he expressed on air are completely unacceptable, offensive, and do not represent any of the values that FIDE stands for," it said in a statement., adding Mr Smirin "will not continue as a FIDE commentator with immediate effect".

Mr Smirin, however, told the BBC he was "slightly puzzled" as he "did not say anything really bad, did not want to insult or hurt anyone". He said people had labelled him as "racist, sexist and nationalist" since.

"But what I said during the broadcasts was perhaps slightly impolite but nothing more," he said. "And the most of it clearly was a joke. If we will continue like that, the very words 'man' and 'woman' risk to disappear rather soon. I want to stress that I did not want to hurt anyone, I love and respect chess and women. And I do not like hypocrisy."

He added he understood the decision to suspend him as a commentator, but hoped "common sense will prevail".