Boris Spassky on Wednesday called on the United States to show mercy to his former chess rival Bobby Fischer, and challenged the authorities to arrest him, too.
Fischer, who became world chess champion at the age of 29, was detained at Tokyo’s Narita airport last month while trying to leave Japan using an invalid passport. The 61-year-old, widely considered the greatest player in the history of the game, is wanted by the US for playing a rematch with Spassky in Yugoslavia in 1992 in violation of sanctions.
Fischer defeated Spassky, then of the Soviet Union, to take the world title in 1972, and pocketed $3-million from his victory in Yugoslavia.
In a letter faxed to the Japan Chess Association Spassky described Fischer as a ”tragic personality” and called on Washington to show leniency.
Spassky then challenged the US authorities to punish him for sanctions-busting along with Fischer.
”Arrest me, and put me in the same cell with Bobby Fischer. And give us a chess set,” the letter said. – Guardian Unlimited Â