Levon Aronian rules out return to Armenian national chess team

GM Levon Aronian has firmly ruled out a return to Armenia’s national chess team, saying his decision to represent the United States since 2021 is irreversible.

In a recent interview on the Armenian YouTube talk show LIFEROOM, Aronian described leaving the Armenian squad as one of the most difficult choices of his career, but insisted it was necessary. He said he felt attitudes toward chess in Armenia had cooled and that the sport was no longer treated as a national priority. “If you don’t treat me well and my opinion in this field is not important to you, then we have nothing left to discuss,” he said.

Aronian, widely regarded as Armenia’s most accomplished chess player, noted that he had previously declined lucrative offers from the United States, expressing pride in those decisions. But he stressed that the debate over his national allegiance is now closed. “It’s already turning into Santa Barbara,” he remarked, pointing to the prolonged debate over his national allegiance. “What I needed to prove to myself and my friends, I have already proven. I have always considered myself Armenian and my mission has been to support my nation and reshape the belief that we are weak — we are strong.”

During his tenure with Armenia’s national team, Aronian won multiple chess Olympiads and world team championships. He officially switched federations to the United States in 2021.