AThe Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, Ohio Thursday, August 05, 1965 - Page 9 ★
Chess Champ Denied Visa To Visit Cuba
Washington (UPI)—The state Department said it has refused to permit U. S. chess champion Bobby Fischer to go to Cuba for an international tournament in Havana.
Mr Fischer's attorney, according to department spokesman Marshall Wright, had requested on behalf of the 22-year-old champion that he be permitted to go to Cuba as a participant in the tournament, beginning August 22, and “as an accredited news representative.”
Mr. Wright said Mr. Fischer's request was denied because it was found that the primary purpose of his trip would be to play in the tournament. He could not qualify as a full-time working newsman since any articles he might write would be secondary and incidental to the main purpose of his journey.
Mr. Wright pointed out that the department has only three categories of exemptions from its ban on travel to Cuba — working newsmen, those making the trip for “humanitarian reasons” and businessmen with long-standing interests in Cuba whose presence there is necessary.
