Smirin suspended for sexist remarks

The completed FIDE Women’s Grand Prix turned into a scandal. Commentator Ilia Smirin was suspended from work by the International Federation because of his sexist statements while commenting on parties.

When asked by the viewer whether one of the participants (WGM Zhu Jin’er) will be able to get a grandmaster score in a tournament where only women play. Smirin answered with a question: “She’s woman grandmaster or what? Why does she want to be like men grandmasters in this case?” Smirin laughed and asked again: “It’s possible basically to make a men norm in a woman tournament?”

The next day, FIDE announced that Smirin had been suspended from commenting.