The continuing Tata Metal Chess match has been embroiled in an pointless controversy after the occasion’s broadcaster has invited Norway’s most notorious financial institution robber, David Toska as a visitor for a present.
Often known as the mastermind behind the most important heist within the nation’s historical past, Toska has been invited to hitch as a visitor throughout TV 2’s Tata Metal Chess broadcast.
The controversial transfer, nonetheless, has provoked robust reactions from the chess fraternity with one sponsor pulling out of the present hours after the announcement, in keeping with chess24.com web site.
Controversy in Norway as a financial institution robber who spent 13 years in jail will commentate on #TataSteelChess on nationwide TV as we speak! https://t.co/ZhmQIn4l5P #c24live pic.twitter.com/TJyRB6ROwG
— chess24.com (@chess24com) January 17, 2022
The Tata Metal Chess match is being performed in Wijk Aan Zee, the Netherlands from January 14 to 30 the place high gamers together with Norwegian world no 1 Magnus Carlsen can be vying for high honours.
Norwegian TV has a convention of inviting celebrities as company throughout chess broadcasts, however Toska’s selection turned out to be probably the most controversial thus far, the web site mentioned.
Toska was touted to be “the mastermind” behind the Nokas financial institution theft in Stavanger in 2004, the most important in Norway’s historical past, the place a policeman was killed. He was arrested in Spain a 12 months later after being on the run, the web site mentioned.
Toska, who served 13 years of a 20-year sentence, was totally launched in 2018, and now has a daughter and a full-time job as a programmer.
In response to the web site, he’s an enormous chess fan and was identified to be a gifted participant in his teenage. He had completed fourth within the Norwegian Underneath-14 championship, earlier than taking to crime.
He obtained again into chess by following Carlsen’s success whereas in jail, and shortly after his launch he was seen on the venue of the 2019 Fischer Random World Championship in Hovik exterior Oslo. He has a web based ranking of round 2000 now, the web site mentioned.
Toska is slated to seem in TV 2’s studio for his or her Tata Metal Chess broadcast, alongside host Fin Gnatt and commentators Heidi R�neid and GM Jon Ludvig Hammer, on Monday and Tuesday.
Whereas the business broadcaster quoted the Chief Sports activities Editor Vegar Jansen Hagen as saying that the choice to enroll the infamous robber for the present was taken after acquiring suggestions from a number of folks, one of many policemen who was current on the scene of the heist and was shot at, wasn’t so happy.
Erik Haland, the policeman, was not amused and was quoted as saying, “I by no means cease being stunned on the media bending over for identified criminals. Another excuse to not watch chess. The truth that his movie star has come because of severe crimes is for my part mindless glorification.”
A sports activities commentator questioned whether or not Toska would have appeared as a chess knowledgeable if it had not been for his movie star standing.
Nonetheless, Toska was quoted as saying that he was ready for the damaging reactions and hoped the main target can be on the sport and that his story wouldn’t disturb it.
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