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Russian chess grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik is under investigation by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) following the “unexpected” death of American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.
On Wednesday, October 22, the governing body of international chess competitions released a statement from FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich, announcing that the federation was investigating “public statements” made by Kramnik “before and after” Naroditsky’s death at the age of 29.
According to NBC News, Kramnik, a former world champion, repeatedly accused Naroditsky, who is also a prominent chess commentator, of cheating during online matches.
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According to USA Today, Naroditsky denied any wrongdoing, but appeared visibly distressed during his last Twitch broadcast on Saturday, October 18, talking about the controversy surrounding Kramnik’s accusations and the toll it took on him.
The video of the stream has been removed from his official Twitch account.
Naroditsky’s club, the Charlotte Chess Center, announced the “sad news of Daniel’s unexpected passing” in a statement on Monday, October 20th.
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“These days, public debate in chess has too often gone beyond acceptable limits, damaging not only people’s reputations but their very well-being,” Dvorković said in a statement. “When this happens, the discussion can devolve into harassment, bullying and personal attacks, which is a particularly serious concern in today’s environment.”
Dvorković said that Kramnik’s achievements and contributions to the sport are “undeniable,” but he and the FIDE Management Board will formally refer all “relevant public statements” made by Kramnik “before and after the tragic death of general manager Daniel Naroditsky” to the FIDE Ethics and Discipline Committee for “independent review.”
Dvorković vowed that “FIDE will take appropriate action when a lack of respect, public harassment, or bullying is observed within the chess community.”
Daniel Naroditsky/Youtube
Kramnik defended his actions in a statement to Reuters in an article published Wednesday.
“What are the false public statements after Daniel’s death?” Kramnik said, “…I ask the president for an explanation. I have never bullied Daniel Naroditsky or personally insulted him.”
He also claimed to have been the victim of bullying, death threats and other harmful comments from his peers in the chess community, the outlet said.
“The latest tragedies should be investigated by the police,” Kramnik wrote in X magazine, saying “there are too many huge financial interests at stake to conclude that this is just an incident.”
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“We are ready to provide all the necessary information,” he said. In yet another post, Kramnik claimed he would take legal action against those “unjustly accusing me.”
