Israel's Chess Legend Calls Federation "Completely Corrupt" - And He's Not Coming Back

Boris Gelfand played for the World Championship. He coached Olympic medal-winning teams. He's the best chess player Israel has ever produced.

And right now, he can't play in his own country. Gelfand has been locked out of Israeli chess tournaments since 2019. The reason? A fight with the Israeli Chess Federation that he says won't end until the current leadership is gone. "These people should be out of chess," Gelfand said in a recent interview. "This is just complete corruption."

The Federation says Gelfand wanted too much money. Gelfand says the real problem is nepotism, mismanagement, and a chess program that's collapsing at the top while claiming success at the bottom.

The CEO's Son Problem

Here's where it gets messy. The Israeli Chess Federation's CEO is Gil Boruchovsky. His son, Avital Boruchovsky, is a competitive chess player. Last year, there was a big tournament in Jerusalem. Gelfand wanted to play. He asked for a few days to confirm - the tournament was still two months away. The Federation said no, demanded an immediate answer, and according to Gelfand, got nasty about it.

Gelfand didn't play. Avital Boruchovsky did.

"Who played in my place?" Gelfand said. "Mr. Boruchovsky's son. Of course."

The Federation denies any favoritism. But when your dad runs the organization and you're playing in the tournaments he organizes, the optics are terrible even if everything's legitimate.

57th Place. Below Zimbabwe.

Gelfand's most damning claim is about the national team. "At the last Olympics, we came in 57th place. Below Zimbabwe. It's a complete disaster." Gelfand says it's not an accident. "No young player has crossed the 2600 rating mark under this management. And it was done intentionally so no one would compete with his son."

The Federation's response? Point to participation numbers. Thousands of kids learning chess. Programs in 300 schools. Big international tournaments being hosted.

All true. But there's a difference between getting kids to learn chess and producing players who can compete at the Olympics.

It's like bragging about youth soccer programs while your national team can't qualify for the World Cup.

"It's All About Money" vs "I Played For Free For 16 Years"

The Federation's main defense is simple: Gelfand wanted too much money, so they couldn't work with him.

Gelfand says that's nonsense. "For sixteen years before they came, I played in very modest conditions. I canceled important events, including one with Magnus Carlsen, to play for the national team." He claims the problem wasn't money - it was that he kept pushing for a stronger national team and better coaching.

"They told me: 'Why do you care if the team is strong or not? You'll get the same money.' That's their level."

Without seeing the actual financial offers and demands, we can't know who's telling the truth. But someone is definitely lying.

What Gelfand Does Now

Gelfand is 57 years old. He's still competing in World Championships and finishing in the top 20-40.

Last month, he played against Arjun Erigaisi - currently the world's fourth-ranked player - and drew.

He coaches national teams in other countries. Three teams he worked with won Olympic medals in 2024.

He runs a chess club in Rishon LeZion that he says does things right - focusing on development and community instead of politics.

He mentors young Israeli players independently, trying to help them reach the world top 100.

But he can't do any of this officially for Israel. Not until the current Federation leadership is gone.

The Jerusalem Masters Irony

In a few weeks, the Jerusalem Masters will bring some of the world's best players to Israel. Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand. World number four Arjun Erigaisi. Former World Championship challenger Jan Nepomniachtchi.

Prize pool: $140,000 - one of the biggest in Israeli chess history. Israel's greatest chess player won't be there. Avital Boruchovsky will be.

Who's Right?

Here's what we can verify:

The Federation is right that grassroots chess is growing. More kids are learning. More schools have programs. Israel is hosting big events.

Gelfand appears right that elite performance is collapsing. No Israeli players in the world top 100. No young players breaking the 2600 rating barrier. You can view all Israeli players and their updated FIDE ratings here: https://chesstv.com/federations/ISR. And if that 57th place Olympic finish is accurate, it's a disaster.

Both things can be true. You can have more people playing chess recreationally while your competitive program falls apart.

The money claims are impossible to verify without seeing actual records. The nepotism claims look bad even if they're not technically illegal. When the CEO's son is playing in tournaments the CEO helps organize, it's a problem whether the kid deserves to be there or not.

The Real Question

This isn't really about Boris Gelfand anymore. It's about whether Israeli chess cares more about participation statistics or Olympic medals. Whether the goal is getting kids to play chess or producing world champions.

The Federation measures success one way. Gelfand measures it another. And until someone changes their mind or gets forced out, Israel's greatest chess player will keep coaching other countries' teams while his own national program struggles. "These people should be out of chess," Gelfand said.

The Federation says Gelfand should stop complaining and accept their terms. Neither side is budging. Israel chess is stuck in the middle.

More to explore:

1. Hans Niemann Eliminated in Round 2 of the FIDE World Cup 2025
2. Why Chess Favours the Young
3. Harikrishna Out, India's Dream Crushed: Arjun Erigaisi Alone Against the World as Martinez Reaches Quarterfinals