Amid an ongoing feud with the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Magnus Carlsen has decided to auction off his now-famous jeans. As of Thursday, bids for the unwashed, game-worn jeans had already hit $8,000. The auction will run until March 1, 2025. Fans were quick and eager to get a piece of this controversy.
The chess grandmaster humorously listed the jeans on eBay as “the forbidden jeans,” the very pair that led to his disqualification during the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York.
Carlsen has promised to donate all the money to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America charity (BBSSA). The BBBSA is a national youth-mentoring charity that carries out its mission through local chapters across 5,000 communities nationwide.
According to BBBSA President and CEO Artis Stevens, they will be used to “bring mentorship to even more youth through chess clinics, community events, and more, equipping them with the skills and confidence to navigate life’s challenges.”
Controversy with FIDE
Carlsen’s decision to auction the jeans began from an incident at the championships, where he was exempted from round nine for violating the International Chess Federation’s (FIDE) dress code. Officials considered his attire inappropriate, fining him $200 and disqualifying him from the round.
“I am pretty tired of FIDE, so I want no more of this. I don’t want anything to do with them. I am sorry to everyone at home, maybe it’s a stupid principle, but I don’t think it’s any fun,” Carlsen told the Norwegian broadcasting channel.
Thus, Carlsen withdrew from the rapid championship in protest. However, after FIDE relaxed its dress code rules, he came back for the blitz tournament, where he went on to share the gold medal with Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi after a tie in the final.
Recent Controversy adds to Carlsen’s ongoing tensions with FIDE. Aside from the dress code dispute, the chess governing body has been at odds with the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, a tournament series that was co-owned by Carlsen, where they forced Magnus and the team to drop the term ‘World Championship’ as it opposed their rules and regulations.
Despite his strained relationship with FIDE, Carlsen’s decision to turn an unusual situation into a charitable act has drawn praise.
(With input from AP)
About The Author
