{"id":34774,"date":"2025-05-09T09:50:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T09:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/?p=34774"},"modified":"2025-05-10T21:19:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T21:19:58","slug":"balancing-moves-and-motherhood-chessmom-initiative-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/balancing-moves-and-motherhood-chessmom-initiative-continues\/","title":{"rendered":"Balancing moves and motherhood: ChessMom initiative continues"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"34774\" class=\"elementor elementor-34774\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4eabe84 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4eabe84\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58f450d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"58f450d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-34.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-34775\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-34.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-34-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-34-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-34-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1497ae4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1497ae4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the occasion of Mother\u2019s Day, FIDE and the Women\u2019s Commission express appreciation for the many women who contribute to the chess world while also raising families. Balancing the responsibilities of motherhood with a professional chess career is no easy task, and we acknowledge the dedication, strength, and perseverance of these remarkable players.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this spirit, FIDE is proud to announce the return of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ChessMom<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> project for the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. This initiative reflects FIDE\u2019s continued dedication to supporting women in chess, particularly those who are mothers or expecting.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants during the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Hungary, the ChessMom project will not only continue but expand, ensuring that more players can pursue their chess ambitions without having to choose between career and motherhood.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2024, six mothers were selected for the inaugural program:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Alina Kashlinskaya (Poland)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Yuliia Osmak (Ukraine)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Aster Melake Bantiwalu (Ethiopia)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Rauha Shipindo (Namibia)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Nolwazi Nkwanyane (Eswatini)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These players participated in the Olympiad with the support of the ChessMom initiative, which covered the cost of an accompanying caregiver, allowing the players to focus on their games while ensuring their children were cared for.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most inspiring stories came from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7nGyuaT9xSk\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rauha Shipindo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a Namibian player who competed in her national qualifier just two weeks before giving birth, and then went on to represent her country at the Olympiad, accompanied by her baby and a caregiver.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27893a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"27893a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-44.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-34776\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-44.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-44-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-44-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2025-05-09_12-48-44-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e42c4b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e42c4b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I am so grateful to those who initiated the ChessMom program. It is trying to close the gap that is there for women. If I have a newborn like this, I might weigh in and say, will I stay to look after my little one, or will I go to the Chess Olympics? So it&#8217;s combining that gap and closing it,&#8221;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Rauha Shipindo said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Rauha, ChessMom was more than logistical assistance &#8211; it was the chance to compete at the highest level without sacrificing her role as a new mother.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The program provides financial support to players with infants under one-year-old, allowing them to travel with a companion who can care for the child during competition. As Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, explains:<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI think it is important that women in chess feel supported. We cannot take all the barriers for women away, but with programs like ChessMom we want to help professional chess players to balance their career and personal life.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francisco Javier Cruz Arce, member of the FIDE Women\u2019s Commission and project co-initiator, reaffirms this mission:<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;We are committed to ensuring that no woman is forced to choose between motherhood and her professional career as a chess player. We are happy that ChessMom continues to grow, raise awareness, and expand. We want mothers who play chess to know that they will not be alone. FIDE is here to support them every step of the way.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The idea for ChessMom was conceived during the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai. Reflecting on its origins, Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Women\u2019s Commission, shared:<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The idea for this project was born during the Olympiad in Chennai. While discussing with commission member Francisco Cruz, we spoke about the clear need for such support. For many women chess players who are planning to become mothers, the fear of pausing or ending their professional careers is very real. ChessMom addresses that directly \u2014 showing that it is possible to be both a mother and a competitive chess professional. This initiative is more than logistical support; it is a message that women do not have to choose between motherhood and ambition. It gives hope, security, and dignity to women at a critical moment in their lives.&#8221;<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This announcement is a message to all players who are new or expecting mothers: your place in the chess world is secure and celebrated. FIDE encourages you to prepare for participation in your national teams for the 2026 Chess Olympiad. Application details for the next edition of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ChessMom<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will be shared in the coming months.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On the occasion of Mother\u2019s Day, FIDE and the Women\u2019s Commission express appreciation for the many women who contribute to the chess world while also raising families. Balancing the responsibilities of motherhood with a professional chess career is no easy task, and we acknowledge the dedication, strength, and perseverance of these remarkable players. In this spirit, FIDE is proud to announce the return of the ChessMom project for the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. This initiative reflects FIDE\u2019s continued dedication to supporting women in chess, particularly those who are mothers or expecting. Following overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants during the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Hungary, the ChessMom project will not only continue but expand, ensuring that more players can pursue their chess ambitions without having to choose between career and motherhood. In 2024, six mothers were selected for the inaugural program: Alina Kashlinskaya (Poland) Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia) Yuliia Osmak (Ukraine) Aster Melake Bantiwalu (Ethiopia) Rauha Shipindo (Namibia) Nolwazi Nkwanyane (Eswatini) These players participated in the Olympiad with the support of the ChessMom initiative, which covered the cost of an accompanying caregiver, allowing the players to focus on their games while ensuring their children were cared for. One of the most inspiring stories came from Rauha Shipindo, a Namibian player who competed in her national qualifier just two weeks before giving birth, and then went on to represent her country at the Olympiad, accompanied by her baby and a caregiver. &#8220;I am so grateful to those who initiated the ChessMom program. It is trying to close the gap that is there for women. If I have a newborn like this, I might weigh in and say, will I stay to look after my little one, or will I go to the Chess Olympics? So it&#8217;s combining that gap and closing it,&#8221; Rauha Shipindo said. For Rauha, ChessMom was more than logistical assistance &#8211; it was the chance to compete at the highest level without sacrificing her role as a new mother. The program provides financial support to players with infants under one-year-old, allowing them to travel with a companion who can care for the child during competition. As Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, explains: \u201cI think it is important that women in chess feel supported. We cannot take all the barriers for women away, but with programs like ChessMom we want to help professional chess players to balance their career and personal life.\u201d Francisco Javier Cruz Arce, member of the FIDE Women\u2019s Commission and project co-initiator, reaffirms this mission: &#8220;We are committed to ensuring that no woman is forced to choose between motherhood and her professional career as a chess player. We are happy that ChessMom continues to grow, raise awareness, and expand. We want mothers who play chess to know that they will not be alone. FIDE is here to support them every step of the way.&#8221; The idea for ChessMom was conceived during the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai. Reflecting on its origins, Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Women\u2019s Commission, shared: &#8220;The idea for this project was born during the Olympiad in Chennai. While discussing with commission member Francisco Cruz, we spoke about the clear need for such support. For many women chess players who are planning to become mothers, the fear of pausing or ending their professional careers is very real. ChessMom addresses that directly \u2014 showing that it is possible to be both a mother and a competitive chess professional. This initiative is more than logistical support; it is a message that women do not have to choose between motherhood and ambition. It gives hope, security, and dignity to women at a critical moment in their lives.&#8221; This announcement is a message to all players who are new or expecting mothers: your place in the chess world is secure and celebrated. FIDE encourages you to prepare for participation in your national teams for the 2026 Chess Olympiad. Application details for the next edition of ChessMom will be shared in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":34775,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[300,165],"regular":[],"sticky-post":[],"class_list":["post-34774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fide-news","tag-chessmom","tag-women-in-chess"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34774"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34780,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34774\/revisions\/34780"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34774"},{"taxonomy":"regular","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/regular?post=34774"},{"taxonomy":"sticky-post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sticky-post?post=34774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}