New Delhi, March 18 Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy is still undecided about competing in the prestigious Candidates Tournament in Cyprus this month, but she reiterated her concerns regarding the safety situation in the host country amid the West Asia conflict.
The Candidates Tournament, which will decide the challengers to the world championship crowns currently held by D Gukesh (men) and Ju Wenjun (women), is scheduled to begin on March 28.
"I know that on my own, I may not be able to change anything. But regardless of whether I play in the Candidates or not, I felt it was important to express what I genuinely feel," she posted on 'X' on Wednesday.
"I am truly grateful to everyone who has shown their support. For those who cannot understand the sensitivity of this situation, I choose to leave it at that," she added.
Earlier this week, the two-time Women's World Rapid Champion and former women's world title challenger had said that she was hesitant to travel and was considering withdrawing from the tournament.
This came after a British air base in Cyprus had been targeted by a drone attack earlier this month, raising fears that the conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, could seriously affect the security on the island as well.
However, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky dismissed the concerns, saying there is nothing even "remotely dangerous" to warrant a change of venue. The Gulf countries are currently caught in the crossfire, and the airspace over the region has largely been shut down.
"Our plans have not changed. We are in the final stages of preparing for the Candidates Tournament. Of course, we are monitoring the situation," Sutovsky had said.
"Cyprus is not too far from the war zone or conflict zone, but at the same time, it is not directly involved in any way and is not in a state of war," he added.
Cyprus, which is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is located south of Turkey and is a member of the European Union.
Besides Humpy, R Vaishali has also qualified for the women's Candidates, while R Praggnanandhaa is the sole Indian in the fray in the Open section.
