India's Chess Olympiad team stuck in Uzbekistan without accommodation, 5 hours after arrival

Grandmaster and non-playing captain of the Indian chess Olympiad team, Srinath Narayanan, has shared the terrible experience that the squad is facing ahead of the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad, with the prestigious event set to begin on Wednesday, September 16.

The team’s arrival in Samarkand has not gone as smoothly as expected. Even after spending around five hours in the city's airport, the Indian players and support staff were reportedly still waiting to be assigned their rooms at the accommodation.

Srinath highlighted the situation on social media, giving followers a glimpse into the difficulties faced by the Indian contingent upon arrival.

"Having a terrible experience at the @FIDE_chess 2026 Olympiad."

"The team landed 5 hours ago at Samarkand airport. The team still haven’t been allotted rooms, with absolutely no clarity on when it’ll be allotted," said Srinath on X. (Credit: Srinath Narayanan X) - EndsPublished By: alan johnPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 16:57 IST