If the situation continues like this, I am really doubtful of my participation,” Humpy tells The Indian Express. The host country of the Candidates, Cyprus, is located in the Mediterranean Sea, near countries such as Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Humpy is the first of the 16 qualified contenders across the twin Candidates tournaments to have voiced concerns about playing in Cyprus. From India, Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali will also be competing in the Women’s Candidates, while R Praggnanandhaa will be playing in the Candidates. The RAF Akrotiri base, where the drone hit on March 1, is about 85 kilometres to the east of Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort, which will host the Candidates tournament.

Source: Indian Express March 16, 2026 16:42 UTC