Levon Aronian Will Not Participate in the Chess World Cup

Grandmaster Levon Aronian will not participate in the FIDE World Cup, of which he is the reigning champion. Aronian announced this on his Facebook page.

"With great regret, I must inform you about my withdrawal from the FIDE World Cup. I have a high fever and tonsillitis and, despite my strong desire to play, I need to be rational and prioritize my health and the health of other players," Aronian wrote.

He expressed gratitude to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich for doing everything possible to assist him. He hopes that the tournament will continue without incidents.

"I promise to recover soon and return to the magical world of 64 squares," Aronian noted.

Aronian was set to begin his fight from the second round as the reigning world cup holder. This year's Chess World Cup is being held in Sochi, with 206 participants in the men's tournament and 103 in the women's tournament. The event will conclude on August 6.