Chess Federation Investigates Kramnik Following Naroditsky‘s Death,โข Escalating concerns Over Online Toxicity
LAUSANNE, Switzerlandโ – November 30, โค2023 – The International Chess Federation (FIDE)โฃ announced Wednesdayโ it is examining theโ conduct of former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik amid โgrowing criticism of his publicโข accusationsโ against players, including the late grandmaster โDaniel Naroditsky. The move follows โขNaroditsky’s death earlier โthis week, adn acknowledges a rise in harmful behavior within the chess community, particularly online.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich stated,”In recent times,public debate within the chess world has too oftenโฃ moved beyond theโ boundaries of acceptable,harming not only people’s โคreputation but their very well-being.”โ He further โคwarned that such discussions can “turn into harassment, bullying, and personal attacks โค- a particularly serious concern in today’s surroundings.”
This scrutiny ofโ Kramnik โstems from a pattern of public accusations โขof cheating. In 2023, โคChess.com removed Kramnik’s โคblog, citing the โฃspread of “baseless allegationsโ about many โฃdozens of players.” Theโค followingโ year, โKramnik published a list titled “cheating Tuesdays” on social media, which included Czech grandmaster David navara.โข Navara subsequently โrevealed the โaccusations led him to โขcontemplate โฃsuicide, prompting Kramnik to accuse Navara ofโ defamation. FIDE responded in June, stating โKramnik’s approach “brings a lot of harmโ to the chessโ community” and “could be ruinous for โขthe careers and โฃwell-being of certain players,” inviting him to submit supporting data for official review.
Kramnik’s increased focus on cheating allegations coincided withโฃ the surge โin online chess during the COVID-19 pandemic, as elite players โtransitioned to online platforms. This shift also brought โคa rise โคin online toxicity and the potential โfor cheating through โcomplex computer assistance,particularly โin fast-paced formats like blitz and bullet chess. โคNaroditsky, a top 25 blitz player andโฃ 2023 U.S. โคNational Blitz Champion, was a prominent figure in โฃthe online chess world.
Despite the ongoing concerns, Kramnik continued to post about Naroditsky’s death on the day it was announced, โคcalling for a police investigation and claiming to have received threats after revealingโ “public details aboutโ the ‘dark side’ of โmodern chess.” โค
FIDE announced it will establish โขa prize in Naroditsky’s memory. The federation’s investigation โฃinto kramnik’s conduct is ongoing.
